bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Edge-centric energy efficient LSTM with federated learning model based computation offloading for IoT applications
Authors: Selvamani P , Anitha R
Published: December 2023

A more recent innovation to support cloud computing is edge computing that can address the deficiency of the existing centralised cloud computing paradigm and bring compute and storage resources closer to devices. Edge computing isn’t always the same as conventional cloud computing. Edge computing isn’t always the same as conventional cloud computing. It is a new computational model that performs computation at the network edge. Its crucial idea is to bring computing in the way of the information’s source. Task scheduling is the process allocating incoming requests (tasks) using a specific method to make the best use of the resources for the needed process. Users of services must submit their requests online because cloud computing is the technology used to deliver services through the internet. This paper aims to provide an Edge centric LSTM model with Federated learning for Data storage and model training that will take place on powerful edge servers in distributed ML methods. a massively distributed tasks requiring Processing on-site, coordinating the task remotely and execution are carried out in collaboration with number of multiple edge nodes and the distant cloud infrastructure. As a result, improved computation offloading and networking tradeoffs are possible to achieve low latency, large bandwidth take place on powerful edge servers.
Research on mass image classification based on CNN deep learning
Authors: Dai Hengde
Published: December 2023

Image classification is one of the most important fundamental problems in computer vision research. It involves many basic problems in the field of computer vision, such as feature extraction, object detection and so on. Therefore, the study of image classification is helpful to understand the basic knowledge in the field of computer vision. Since CNN model made a breakthrough, deep learning has been widely used in image classification field. This paper aims to apply the deep learning method to solve the problem of image classification, study and understand image classification problems to help further study and study in the future. By learning 50000 well classified images, this research tries to find the most suitable algorithm and model to achieve the optimal classification, realizing 20 classification and 100 classifications for 10000 unclassified images with the highest accuracy possible.
Foam stability and thermo-mechanical properties of micro/nano filler loaded castor oil based flexible polyurethane foam
Authors: Shaik Aabid Hussain , Patel Chahil , Rahaman Ariful , Chakraborty Samarshi , Kumar Sanjay , Agashe Snehalata , Rahaman Mostafizur , Periyasami Govindasami , Chandan Mohammed Rehaan
Published: December 2023

Use of fillers in polymers is to improve thermo-mechanical properties of the resulting material. Fillers are also used in polymeric foam as cell openers. Flexible polyurethane (PU) foams undergo major loss in structural stability when synthetic polyol is replaced with castor oil in the formulation as an alternate polyol. This study probes the effect of various micro and nano-fillers on PU foams prepared using blend polyol containing castor oil and synthetic polyol at a ratio of 1:1. Physical and cellular properties such as foam height, cell diameter, strut thickness and cell number density were evaluated to probe the structural stability of the foam. All foams prepared were found stable while it was found that the densities of the PU foams synthesized were greater than that of the conventional PU foams. Addition of fillers found to enhance thermal and mechanical properties of the foam. Moreover, all foam samples were found to observe thermal stability over and above 258 °C. Minimum glass transition temperature was recorded for 15% HG samples (i.e., −35.5 °C). Highest tensile strength was observed for 15% Si samples whereas, highest elongation was observed for 10% NC.
Evolution may explain values of the fundamental constants
Authors: Cartlidge Edwin
Published: December 2023

The values of the fundamental physical constants might not have been fixed at the universe’s outset but instead have changed over time through a process akin to biological evolution, believes a physicist in the UK.
Electron electric dipole moment measured to unprecedented precision
Authors: Popa Stefan
Published: December 2023

Physicists at the University of Colorado, Boulder, US have determined the shape of the electron’s charge distribution to unprecedented precision.
Quantum superchemistry emerges in the laboratory
Authors: Boerkamp Martijn
Published: December 2023

Researchers have spotted the first experimental evidence of “quantum superchemistry” in a gas of caesium molecules. The result paves the way for an enhanced degree of control over chemical reactions.
Andromeda galaxy photograph bags Royal Observatory Greenwich prize
Authors: Banks Michael
Published: December 2023

Amateur astronomers have won the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year with an image of a huge plasma arc next to the Andromeda galaxy.
Female PhD students miss out on chance to become inventors
Authors: Randall Ian
Published: December 2023

A new study finds women in technical PhD programmes are given less hands-on experience in patenting and commercial science compared with their male counterparts, resulting in fewer women becoming inventors.
Uproar at union’s harassment policy
Authors: Banks Michael
Published: December 2023

Astronomers have voiced their concern over an update by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to its harassment policy, which they say helps to provide a safe space for harassers.
Campus mourns slain nanoscientist
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: December 2023

Tributes have been paid after the shooting death of nanoscientist Zijie Yan at the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill.
Quantum investment
Authors: Crease Robert P
Published: December 2023

Robert P Crease finds out from Susannah Glickman why people ploughed so much money into quantum computers before the technology had even been properly developed.
Building an inclusive community
Authors: Belsley Alex , Radulovic Marija , Stephen Angela , Weidner Carrie
Published: December 2023

Alex Belsley, Marija Radulovic, Angela Stephen and Carrie Weidner say that diversity and inclusion considerations must be at the forefront of rapidly developing fields such as quantum technologies.
Thinking by numbers
Authors: Grozier Jim
Published: December 2023

A reply to the Critical Point article by Robert P Crease about the new Nuclear Now documentary movie by Oliver Stone.
A tectonic shift for life?
Authors: Dacey James
Published: December 2023

Magnetic data locked in ancient crystals suggest that life may have emerged long before the Earth’s tectonic plates started moving. If the finding holds true, it would overturn the conventional notion that tectonic shifts were a pre-requisite for life, as James Dacey explains.
Wafer-scale uniformity of Dolan-bridge and bridgeless Manhattan-style Josephson junctions for superconducting quantum processors
Authors: Muthusubramanian Nandini , Finkel Matvey , Duivestein Pim , Zachariadis Christos , van der Meer Sean L M , Veen Hendrik M , Beekman Marc W , Stavenga Thijs , Bruno Alessandro , DiCarlo Leonardo
Published: December 2023

We investigate die-level and wafer-scale uniformity of Dolan-bridge and bridgeless Manhattan-style Josephson junctions, using multiple substrates with and without through-silicon vias (TSVs). Dolan junctions fabricated on planar substrates have the highest yield and lowest room-temperature conductance spread, equivalent to

∼

100

M
H
z

in transmon frequency. In TSV-integrated substrates, Dolan junctions suffer most in both yield and disorder, making Manhattan junctions preferable. Manhattan junctions show pronounced conductance decrease from wafer center to edge, which we qualitatively capture using a geometric model of spatially-dependent resist shadowing during junction electrode evaporation. Analysis of actual junction overlap areas using scanning electron micrographs supports the model, and further points to a remnant spatial dependence possibly due to contact resistance.
High-performance deep transfer learning model with batch normalization based on multiscale feature fusion for tomato plant disease identification and categorization
Authors: Ramya R , Kumar P
Published: December 2023

Deep learning and machine learning are cutting-edge methods for analysing images that have considerable potential. Artificial Neural Networks (A-NNs), one of the most well-known methods of computer intelligence, are now used in machine learning (ML) and deep transfer learning (DL) to raise plant production and quality. Identification and primary prevention of plant diseases at the appropriate time are essential for boosting productivity. Due to the phenomenon of minimally intense data in the background and foreground areas of the image, the extensive colour similarity between regions of unhealthy and normal leaves, the presence of noise in the sampling data, and changes in the location, size, and shape of plant leaf, it is difficult to correctly identify and classify plant diseases. In an effort to address these issues, a reliable technique for classifying plant diseases was developed by using a deep AlexNet CNN architecture as the main network with batch normalisation. In the three-step process, the first annotation is made to obtain the RoI (region of interest). The AlexNet CNN is therefore suggested for deep primary feature extraction in a constructed efficient network. The research demonstrates that the existing strategy is superior to more recent ones in terms of accuracy and dependability in recognising diseases in plants. Based on a deep transfer AlexNet CNN model, this research work developed a model for diseases identification and classification in plant leaves. It is trained using additional datasets that include a variety of plant leaf classifications and background images. From Plant Village and Kaggle, we gathered data on healthy and diseased tomato plant leaves. We are obtaining a near-balanced dataset containing ten different leaf disease kinds, such as bacterial, fungal, viral, and nutrient insufficiency. Ten classes have been considered for this research by gathering a dataset with associated images of the typical and abnormal tomato plant leaves. Considered in this work were the various labels for healthy and diseased tomato leaves, such as early blight, Bacterial spot, late bright mold, healthy, etc. Since deep CNN models have shown notable machine vision results, they are used in this case to diagnose and categorise plant illnesses from their leaves. As a result, the proposed CNN models can thus now be evaluated from confusion matrix using data analysis criteria, primarily focusing on metrics for evaluation like training and validation accuracy, loss, Recall, Precision, F1 score, processing speed, and performance.
Observation of the performance enhancement of a non-degenerate JPA versus degenerate JPA in a QTMS radar simulation
Authors: Norouzi Milad , Hosseiny Seyed Mohammad , Seyed-Yazdi Jamileh , Irannezhad Fatemeh
Published: December 2023

Small differences in the types of Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPAs) can cause significant changes in quantum two-mode squeezed (QTMS) radars. In this work, taking into account these differences, we examine two types of JPA in terms of pumping in the quantum radar, including degenerate JPA (DJPA) and non-degenerate JPA (NDJPA) under the same conditions, leading to results very significant for the design of a QTMS radar. This study shows that QTMS radar performance is better than that of the DJPA scenario when using the NDJPA scenario. In addition, we calculated the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) for two scenarios, both of which show the superiority of the NDJPA scenario. The SNR of the QTMS radar in the NDJPA case is about 1.7 dB higher than in the DJPA case. In addition, the channel number of detection probability in the NDJPA scenario is lower than that in the DJPA scenario, which indicates better ROC performance. Finally, using an NDJPA in a quantum radar can achieve a performance improvement over a quantum radar using a DJPA.
Atypical Myasthenia gravis in an older person resulting in delayed diagnosis: a case report
Authors: Adamu Maimuna , Saka Felix
Published: December 2023

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterised by varying degrees of skeletal muscle weakness. Diagnosing MG represents a challenge for clinicians due to the diversity of disease manifestations. We present an unusual case of this disease in an older gentleman in which the patient reported swollen tongue and lips which was incorrectly diagnosed and treated as angioedema. Months later, he developed progressive dysphagia, dysarthria and weight loss. The diagnosis was further delayed by the identification of a hiatal hernia and Zenker’s diverticulum after extensive investigation for dysphagia. A total of 15 months on prompted by persistent symptoms, the patient was found to have MG by positive antibody test and Electromyogram. Treatment was initiated which led to a rapid and significant relief of his symptoms.
‘I don’t think they really link together, do they?’ An ethnography of multi-professional involvement in advance care planning in nursing homes
Authors: Andrews Nicola , Myall Michelle
Published: December 2023

Background

Given the globally ageing population, care homes have an important role in delivering palliative and end-of-life care. Advance care planning (ACP) is promoted to improve the quality of end-of-life care in this setting. While many professionals can be involved in ACP, little is known about what influences multi-professional involvement and how multi-professional working impacts the ACP process in the UK. This study investigated multi-professional practice in relation to ACP in nursing homes.

Design and methods

An ethnography was undertaken in two UK nursing homes using multiple methods of data collection: observations, interviews and document review. Participants included the following: nursing home residents (n = 6), relatives (n = 4), nursing home staff (n = 19), and visiting health and social care professionals (n = 7). Analysis integrated thematic analysis, mapping of resident ACP trajectories and documentary analysis.

Findings

This paper suggests that multi-professional and relatives’ involvement in ACP was disjointed. Continuity and coordination were disrupted by misalignment of visiting professional and nursing home organisational structures. Findings show a ‘knotworking’ approach to teamwork and power imbalance between nursing home staff and visiting professionals, such as general practitioners. While residents wished their relatives to be involved in their ACP, this was not formally recognised, and limited support existed to facilitate their involvement.

Conclusion

The structure and organisation of multi-professional and relatives’ involvement in ACP led to fragmentation of the process. This marginalised the voice of both the resident and nursing home staff, thereby limiting ACP as a tool to enhance quality of end-of-life care.
Influence of polarized light, disruptive visual patterns, and chemical cues on oviposition in the aquatic midge, Chironomus riparius (Diptera: Chironomidae)
Authors: Walsh Wesley , Duffner Mitch , Pasternak Anna , Brodie Bekka S , Johnson Kelly S
Published: December 2023

Chironomid nonbiting midges are common in many waterbodies, occurring at high densities in sediment and also when flying adults emerge. Although important for food webs and ecosystem processes, the mass emergences of chironomid adults make some species nuisance pests. As part of an effort to develop “push–pull” strategies for managing midge populations, we investigated the importance of visual and chemical cues used by gravid females when selecting sites for oviposition. Field and laboratory oviposition choice tests with Chironomus riparius (Meigen) were used to assess the attractiveness of dark container colors and polarized light for females seeking water for egg laying. Females were not sensitive to increased intensity of polarized light, but they laid fewer eggs in containers with white color above the water’s edge but black below the surface. A disruptive pattern of vertical black and white stripes at the water’s edge reduced egg laying to a similar degree as white. To investigate the importance of olfactory or gustatory cues in oviposition decisions, we tested 3 potential chemical repellents (damaged larvae simulating predator presence, azadiractin, and picaridin) and 5 potential attractants (a tannin–molasses mixture, leaf detritus, live Hydrilla plants, periphyton, and fermented alfalfa infusions used to bait mosquito oviposition traps). Chemical cues appeared to play a weak role, if any, in oviposition choices. Onlyazadiractin (0.02 and 0.11 ppm) reduced the number of egg ropes deposited, but the mechanism may have been from mechanical trapping and drowning, not deterrence.
Genetic identification, pathogenicity and patulin production of Penicillium species from apple blue mold in China
Authors: Shen Youming , Ma Wenyu , Ma Ning , Li Mengyao , Zhang Jianyi , Xu Guofeng
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Blue mold is a common postharvest disease that leads to severe rot and patulin (PAT) contamination in fruits, which is a key factor endangering the storage and quality of apple products. However, the Penicillium species from apple blue mold in China and their pathogenicity and PAT production ability have not been well studied.

Materials and Methods

In this study, 62 strains of pathogenic Penicillium species were isolated from blue mold apples collected from different regions of China. The ITS, BenA, and CaM genes were sequenced for molecular identification.

Results

Penicillium strains were identified as three species, 57 P. expansum, 3 P. crustosum, and 2 P. polonicum. Twelve variants of the ITS sequence, 61 variants of BenA and 67 variants of CiaM genes were identified between Penicillium species. Fungal morphology was observed on potato dextrose agar (PDA). After 10 d of cultivation, P. expansum cultures were detected with PAT concentrations ranging from 457.98 to 1333.85 mg/kg, and two P. polonicum strains were 6.02 mg/kg and 6.30 mg/kg. The three P. crustosum strains could not produce PAT on PDA. In apple inoculation, P. expansum strains showed significantly faster infection rates than P. crustosum and P. polonicum strains. All P. expansum strains can produce PAT during infection, and the concentrations in the rot apple tissues were 2.31–88.67 mg/kg. The P. crustosum and P. polonicum strains could not produce PAT during infection.

Conclusions

This study provides data and information regarding the morphology, virulence and PAT production of Penicillium pathogens that will improve the understanding of apple blue mold and postharvest disease control.
Optimization of a DNA extraction protocol from fingerprints for the analysis of nuclear STR and mitochondrial DNA genetic profiles
Authors: Loarce Yolanda , Rubio Pilar , Sánchez-Sanz Almudena , Higuera Ariadna , Rodríguez-Pascual José A , Blanco Julián , Gutiérrez-Redomero Esperanza , González Juan M
Published: December 2023

Most of the cells found in fingerprints belong to the cornified barrier of the epidermis (stratum corneum), lack nuclei and cytoplasmic organelles, and are filled with keratin. Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA is degraded and embedded in the keratin mesh, a very resistant protein that is difficult to remove during DNA extraction. In this work, we studied the possible negative effect of keratin on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) reactions and the influence of keratinase and proteinase K on the extraction of DNA from fingerprints. The role of glycogen in the DNA yield during the precipitation step and the importance of washing the obtained DNA with 70% ethanol were also studied. DNA was extracted from 96 fingerprints corresponding to recent prints and stored for 0, 1, 5, and 18 months from six individuals. No differences were observed in the concentration of extracted DNA or in the number of nuclear Short Tandem Repeat (STR) alleles in the genetic profiles of fingerprints stored during different times. However, sex differences were observed in both the concentration of DNA obtained and the number of nuclear STR alleles detected, being lower in females than in males. In 80% of the fingerprints genetic profiles were obtained with at least half of the STR nuclear markers and, in 50% of the fingerprints genetic profiles were obtained with more than 90% of the markers, which would allow an unambiguous identification of the donor. In all fingerprints where mitochondrial DNA was analyzed, complete sequencing of the HV1 and HV2 regions was possible, which increases the accuracy of the results obtained. The optimized protocol allowed obtaining a complete STR nuclear genetic profile of a 20-year-old palmprint.

Key points
Sad Mood Bridges Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Performance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Network Approach
Authors: Zhang Wen , Liu Tianyin , Leung Dara Kiu Yi , Chan Stephen , Wong Gloria , Lum Terry
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives

Depression and cognitive impairment are common and often coexist in older adults. The network theory of mental disorders provides a novel approach to understanding the pathways between depressive symptoms and cognitive domains and the potential “bridge” that links and perpetuates both conditions. This study aimed to identify pathways and bridge symptoms between depressive symptoms and cognitive domains in older adults.

Research Design and Methods

Data were derived from 2,792 older adults aged 60 years and older with mild and more severe depressive symptoms from the community in Hong Kong. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and cognition using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5-minute protocol (MoCA-5min). Summary descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by network estimation using graphical LASSO, community detection, centrality analysis using bridge expected influence (BEI), and network stability analyses to assess the structure of the PHQ-9 and MoCA-5min items network, the pathways, and the bridge symptoms.

Results

Participants (mean age = 77.3 years, SD = 8.5) scored 8.2 (SD = 3.4) on PHQ-9 and 20.3 (SD = 5.4) on MoCA-5min. Three independent communities were identified in PHQ-9 and MoCA-5min items, suggesting that depression is not a uniform entity (2 communities) and has differential connections with cognition. The network estimation results suggested that the 2 most prominent connections between depressive symptoms and cognitive domains were: (1) anhedonia with executive functions/language and (2) sad mood with memory. Among all depressive symptoms, sad mood had the highest BEI, bridging depressive symptoms and cognitive domains.

Discussion and Implications

Sad mood seems to be the pathway between depression and cognition in this sample of older Chinese. This finding highlights the importance of sad mood as a potential mechanism for the co-occurrence of depression and cognitive impairment, implying that intervention targeting sad mood might have rippling effects on cognitive health.
The Need to Appear Healthy: Concealment of Chronic Illness, Privacy, and Self-Sufficiency Among Chronically Ill Older Nigerians
Authors: Mahmoud Kafayat , Baker Tamara A , Esiaka Darlingtina , Balogun Saliu
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives

Prior research has highlighted the beneficial impact of social networks and social support on older adults’ physical and psychosocial well-being. However, the impact of the relationship between chronic illness and social networks on the psychosocial well-being of older Nigerians remains understudied. This study explored how older Nigerians with chronic illnesses navigate the physical, mental, and emotional changes due to their chronic disease diagnosis within their social contexts.

Research Design and Methods

The current qualitative study used semistructured in-depth interviews with 19 purposively sampled older adults, aged 50 years and over, chronically ill, and receiving clinical care to examine the role of social networks in how chronically ill older Nigerians cope with their diagnosis.

Results

Three main themes reflecting participants’ experiences emerged from the findings: (1) closely knit circles, (2) privacy and self-sufficiency, and (3) body image. Results show that chronically ill older Nigerians prefer to keep the knowledge of their conditions strictly within their close family circles. It was considered horrific to inform friends, community members, and religious groups about one’s chronic illness. Findings further reveal that the need to appear healthy to one’s social network stems from the fear of being discriminated against and attempts to maintain some level of normalcy when interacting with others. Additionally, feelings of inferiority and shame limited their participation in social activities and social network maintenance.

Discussion and Implications

We discuss the implications of the results for the mental well-being and quality of life of chronically ill older Nigerians and make recommendations for policies and resources that can improve the well-being of chronically ill Nigerians.
Geophysical imaging of the active magmatic intrusion and geothermal reservoir formation beneath the Corbetti prospect, Main Ethiopian Rift
Authors: Dambly M L T , Samrock F , Grayver A , Eysteinsson H , Saar M O
Published: December 2023

Silicic volcanic complexes in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) system host long-lived shallow magma reservoirs that provide heat needed to drive geothermal systems. Some of these geothermal systems in Ethiopia appear to be suitable for green and sustainable electricity generation. One such prospect is located at the Corbetti volcanic complex near the city of Awassa. High-resolution imaging of the subsurface below Corbetti is of imminent importance, not only because of its geothermal potential, but also due to reported evidence for an ongoing magmatic intrusion. In this study, we present a new subsurface 3-D electrical conductivity model of Corbetti obtained through the inversion of 120 magnetotelluric stations. The model elucidates a magmatic system under Corbetti and reveals that it is linked to a magma ponding zone in the lower crust. Magma is transported through the crust and accumulates in a shallow reservoir in form of a magmatic mush at a depth of $\gtrapprox 4\, {\rm km b.s.l.}$ below the caldera. The imaged extent and depth of the shallow magma reservoir is in agreement with previous geodetic and gravimetric studies that proposed an ongoing magmatic intrusion. Interpreting our model with laboratory-based conductivity models for basaltic and rhyolitic melt compositions suggests that Corbetti is seemingly in a non-eruptible state with ∼6–16 vol. per cent basaltic melt in the lower crust and ∼20–35 vol. per cent rhyolitic melt in the upper crust. With these observations, Corbetti’s magmatic system shares common characteristics with volcanic complexes found in the central MER. Specifically, these volcanic complexes are transcrustal two-stage magmatic systems with magma storage in the lower and upper crust that supply heat for volcano-hosted high-temperature geothermal systems above them. According to the presented subsurface model, a cross-rift volcano-tectonic lineament exerts first-order controls on the magma emplacement and hydrothermal convection at Corbetti. Our study depicts hydrothermal convection pathways in unprecedented detail for this system and helps identify prospective regions for future geothermal exploration. 3-D imaging of both the Corbetti’s magmatic and associated geothermal systems provides key information for the quantitative evaluation of Corbetti’s geothermal energy potential and for the assessment of potential volcanic risks.
Sedimentary structures of the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Siwalik Himalaya inferred from receiver function inversion
Authors: Das Amlanjyoti , Hazarika Devajit , Kundu Abhishek , Kumar Naresh , Yadav Dilip K
Published: December 2023

We investigated sedimentary thickness and shear wave velocity structure in the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (Punjab and Haryana Plain) and adjoining Siwalik Himalaya with the help of receiver function inversion at 20 broad-band seismological stations. This region is one of the most seismically vulnerable zones of the world due to the presence of thick surface sediments in the foreland basin that can amplify seismic waves and cause huge damage due to the earthquakes of the Himalaya. The study reveals a progressive thickening of sediments from southwest to northeast. The basement depth varies from ∼1.5 to 1.7 km in the Central Alluvium Plain, ∼1.8 to 2.8 km in the Zone of Terminal Fans, and attains a maximum of ∼3.8 km near the Himalayan Frontal Thrust. The inverted models show the presence of soft alluvial with extremely low Vs (< 0.5 km s−1) and high Vp/Vs (∼2.5–3.0) at the top ∼400–700 m of the surface at most of the stations. A comparatively higher velocity of surface sediments observed at northern stations suggests the presence of compact sediments at the surface. The layered sedimentary structure revealed by the S-wave velocity models supports the previous geophysical investigations using borehole data. The velocity–depth structure obtained in this study is important for evaluating the seismic hazard of the densely populated urban areas spread over this region.
NYUS.2: an automated machine learning prediction model for the large-scale real-time simulation of grapevine freezing tolerance in North America
Authors: Wang Hongrui , Moghe Gaurav D , Kovaleski Al P , Keller Markus , Martinson Timothy E , Wright A Harrison , Franklin Jeffrey L , Hébert-Haché Andréanne , Provost Caroline , Reinke Michael , Atucha Amaya , North Michael G , Russo Jennifer P , Helwi Pierre , Centinari Michela , Londo Jason P
Published: December 2023

Accurate and real-time monitoring of grapevine freezing tolerance is crucial for the sustainability of the grape industry in cool climate viticultural regions. However, on-site data are limited due to the complexity of measurement. Current prediction models underperform under diverse climate conditions, which limits the large-scale deployment of these methods. We combined grapevine freezing tolerance data from multiple regions in North America and generated a predictive model based on hourly temperature-derived features and cultivar features using AutoGluon, an automated machine learning engine. Feature importance was quantified by AutoGluon and SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) value. The final model was evaluated and compared with previous models for its performance under different climate conditions. The final model achieved an overall 1.36°C root-mean-square error during model testing and outperformed two previous models using three test cultivars at all testing regions. Two feature importance quantification methods identified five shared essential features. Detailed analysis of the features indicates that the model has adequately extracted some biological mechanisms during training. The final model, named NYUS.2, was deployed along with two previous models as an R shiny-based application in the 2022–23 dormancy season, enabling large-scale and real-time simulation of grapevine freezing tolerance in North America for the first time.
Optimal reinsurance-investment problem with default risk for an insurer under the constant elasticity of variance model
Authors: Yan Yiqi , Rong Ximin , Zhao Hui
Published: December 2023

Accepted by: Giorgio Consigli

In this paper we study the optimal reinsurance-investment problem for an insurer with constant absolute risk aversion (CARA) utility. Because the insurer needs to avoid large claims and make profits in the actual operation process, he/she is allowed to buy proportional reinsurance and invest in a risk-free bond, a stock and a default bond. Moreover, the price process of the stock follows the constant elasticity of variance (CEV) model and the correlation between the risk process and the stock’s price is considered. For the objective of expected utility maximization, we establish the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation and derive the optimal reinsurance-investment strategy explicitly for the pre-default case and the post-default case via the dynamic programming. Finally, numerical examples and sensitivity analyses are provided to illustrate the effects of model parameters on the optimal strategy. We find that (i) the default risk has no impact on the optimal strategy of the stock and the parameters of the stock’s price have no impact on the optimal money amount invested in the defaultable bond. (ii) The optimal reinsurance strategy depends on the volatility of the stock’s price under the CEV model. (iii) The correlation between risk model and the stock’s price does have effects on the insurer’s optimal reinsurance-investment strategy. These findings may provide guidance to the management of insurers in practice.
Atypical Mpox in a Nigerian Tertiary Health Facility
Authors: Chika-Igwenyi Nneka M , Unigwe Uche S , Ajayi Nnennaya A , Onwe Ogah E , Ewa Richard L , Ojide Chiedozie K , Una Alfred F , Igwenyi Chikaodiri , Chukwu Kyrian S , Okorie Gabriel M , Nnadozie Ugochukwu U , Ifebunandu Ngozi A , Ugwu Collins N , Emeka Sampson , Ibemesi Desi , Nnaji Thomas O , Primus Nsikan O , Odianosen Ehiakhamen
Published: December 2023

Background

We describe diverse clinical characteristics and course of confirmed mpox cases managed in a Nigerian tertiary health facility.

Methods

Clinical and epidemiologic data were analyzed, highlighting the unusual presentations of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–confirmed mpox cases observed during the 2022 outbreak.

Results

Out of 17 suspected cases, 13 (76.4%) were PCR confirmed for mpox. The mean ± SD age for the participants was 28.62 ± 10.29 years (range, 2–55), of which 9 (64.3%) were male. Of the 13 PCR-confirmed cases, 5 (38.5%) had varicella zoster virus coinfection, 2 (15.4%) had HIV coinfection, and 1 (7.7%) had diabetes mellitus comorbidity. All patients experienced rash, with 6 (46.2%) having significant genital lesions and 1 (7.7%) having a severe perianal lesion. A lack of prodromal symptoms was reported in 3 (23.1%), and a prolonged prodrome (>1 week) occurred in 5 (38.5%). Skin lesions were polymorphic in 6 (46.2%), and solitary skin lesions occurred in 3 (23.1%), which persisted for >120 days in 7.7%.

Conclusions

Clinical recognition, diagnosis, and prevention remain a concern in resource-limited settings. Our findings highlight the need to further evaluate unusual skin lesions and to include mpox screening for genital skin lesions that are presumed to be sexually transmitted infections. Revision of clinical case definition and enhanced surveillance are key to early recognition and prevention of spread.
Life table and cold tolerance of laboratory-reared Penthaleus major (Acari: Penthaleidae)
Authors: Wang Xian , Wang Zhen , Yang Bowei , Chen Hanqiu , Zhang Huanhuan , Li Guangyun , Li Yaying , Liu Huai
Published: December 2023

Penthaleus major (Dugés) is a significant agricultural pest that attacks various pasture, vegetable, and crop plants. Temperature plays a critical role in the life history of P. major. However, there is limited understanding of its life table at different temperatures and cold tolerance. This study aimed to elucidate the performance of P. major by constructing life tables at 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 °C. The results showed that P. major successfully developed at 9‒21 °C. However, no adults emerged at 6°C, and no eggs hatched at 24 °C. The highest intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproductive rate (R0), and gross reproductive rate (GRR) were observed at 12 °C. The supercooling point (SCP) exhibited significant variations at different developmental stages. The highest SCP (‒9.75 °C) was recorded in 10-day-old female adults, while the lowest SCP (‒24.37 °C) was observed in larvae. For female adult mites of 2, 6, and 10 days old, the low lethal temperatures (LLT50) were ‒14.63, ‒12.03, and ‒11.08 °C, respectively. This study provided valuable insights for modeling and predicting the population dynamics of P. major in the field and offered implications for developing successful management strategies.
Preventive and therapeutic effects of low-dose whole-body irradiation on collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis in mice
Authors: Kim Ji Young , Lee Yeong Ro , Lee Young Ae , Song Chin-Hee , Han So Hyun , Cho Seong Jun , Nam Seon Young
Published: December 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by progressive joint inflammation, resulting in cartilage destruction and bone erosion. It was reported that low-dose radiation modulates immune disease. Here, we investigated whether low-dose whole-body irradiation has preventive and therapeutic effects in collagen-induced RA (CIA) mouse models. Fractionated low-dose irradiation (0.05 Gy/fraction, total doses of 0.1, 0.5 or 0.8 Gy) was administered either concurrently with CIA induction by Type II collagen immunization (preventive) or after CIA development (therapeutic). The severity of CIA was monitored using two clinical parameters, paw swelling and redness. We also measured total Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and inflammatory cytokines (interleukine (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)) in the serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and we evaluated histological changes in the ankle joints by immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Low-dose irradiation reduced CIA clinical scores by up to 41% in the preventive model and by 28% in the therapeutic model, while irradiation in the preventive model reduced the typical CIA incidence rate from 82 to 56%. In addition, low-dose irradiation in the preventive model decreased total IgG by up to 23% and decreased IL-1β and TNF-α by 69 and 67%, and in the therapeutic model, decreased total IgG by up to 35% and decreased IL-1β and IL-6 by 59 and 42% with statistical significance (P < 0.01, 0.05 and 0.001). Our findings demonstrate that low-dose radiation has preventive and therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects against CIA by controlling the immune response, suggesting that low-dose radiation may represent an alternative therapy for RA, a chronic degenerative immune disease.
The Nairobi Declaration 2023: A commitment to address deadly yet neglected fungal diseases in Africa
Authors: Osaigbovo Iriagbonse I , Govender Nelesh P , Jordan Alexander M , Bongomin Felix , Meya David B , Kanyua Alice , Mashedi Olga M , Koffi David , Loyse Angela , Sturny-Leclère Aude , Gangneux Jean-Pierre , Denning David W , Chiller Tom , Cornely Oliver A , Oladele Rita O
Published: December 2023

On May 30th and 31st, 2023, delegates representing various African subregions, together with global representatives from the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM), the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM), the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Global Action for Fungal Infections (GAFFI), convened in Nairobi, Kenya under the aegis of the Pan African Mycology Working Group, a working group of ISHAM. The meeting objectives were, amongst others, to deliberate on a continental response to the World Health Organisation Fungal Priority Pathogen List and facilitate interaction between global and regional leaders. Country delegates and international speakers addressed Africa's fungal disease burden; capacity for diagnosis and management; ongoing surveillance; knowledge gaps and trends in invasive fungal diseases such as Candida auris, mucormycosis, aspergillosis, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related mycoses; and current laboratory practice. During the technical sessions, expert panels deliberated on establishing and financing of national/regional surveillance networks for mycoses; establishing and sustaining African-led collaborations; expanding on existing laboratory and point-of-care diagnostic capacity as well as planning a mycology reference laboratory service and network in Africa. The meeting also highlighted successful African-led collaborations, capacity building, and clinical trial initiatives. The meeting conclusions informed the resolutions of the Nairobi Declaration calling for improved awareness; strong collaborations between clinical and laboratory teams across Africa; improved fungal disease surveillance within the continent; access to antifungals and diagnostics; and leveraging qualified human resources for mycology present within and outside Africa to facilitate trainings, collaborations, and exchanges.
A weak lensing perspective on non-linear structure formation with fuzzy dark matter
Authors: Kunkel Alexander , Chiueh Tzihong , Schäfer Björn Malte
Published: December 2023

We investigate non-linear structure formation in the context of the fuzzy dark matter (FDM) model and compare it to the cold dark matter (CDM) model from a weak lensing perspective. Employing Eulerian perturbation theory (PT) up to fourth order, we calculate the tree-level matter trispectra and the one-loop matter spectra and bispectra from consistently chosen initial conditions. Furthermore, we conduct N-body simulations with CDM and FDM initial conditions to predict the non-linear matter power spectra. Subsequently, we derive the respective lensing spectra, bispectra, and trispectra for CDM and FDM within the framework of a Euclid-like weak lensing survey. In our analysis, we compute attainable cumulative signal-to-noise ratios and estimate χ2-functionals, aimed at distinguishing FDM from CDM at particle masses of m = 10−21 eV, m = 10−22 eV, and m = 10−23 eV. Our results indicate that PT predictions are insufficient for distinguishing between the CDM and FDM models within the context of our simulated weak lensing survey for the considered particle masses. Assuming that N-body simulations overestimate late-time small-scale power in the FDM model, future weak lensing surveys may provide the means to discriminate between FDM and CDM up to a mass of m = 10−23 eV. However, for stronger constraints on the FDM mass, observations of the local high-z universe may be more suitable.
Calibration of metallicity of LAMOST M dwarf stars using FGK+M wide binaries
Authors: Qiu Dan , Li Jiadong , Zhang Bo , Liu Chao , Tian Haijun , Niu Zexi
Published: December 2023

Estimating precise metallicity of M dwarfs is a well-known difficult problem due to their complex spectra. In this work, we empirically calibrate the metallicity using wide binaries with a F, G, or K dwarf and a M dwarf companion. With 1308 FGK+M wide binaries well observed by LAMOST, we calibrated M dwarf’s [Fe/H] by using the Stellar LAbel Machine (SLAM) model, a data-driven method based on support vector regression. The [Fe/H] labels of the training data are from FGK companions in range of [−1,0.5] dex. The Teffs are based on APOGEE, spanning [3100, 4400] K. The uncertainties in SLAM estimates of [Fe/H] and Teff are ∼0.15 dex and ∼40 K, respectively, at snri >100, where snri is the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at i band of M dwarf spectra. We applied the trained SLAM model to determine the [Fe/H] and Teff for ∼630 000 M dwarfs with low-resolution spectra in LAMOST DR9. Compared to other literature also using FGK+M wide binaries for calibration, our [Fe/H] estimates show no bias but a scatter of ∼0.14–0.18 dex. However, the [Fe/H] compared to APOGEE shows a systematic difference of ∼0.10–0.15 dex with a scatter of ∼0.15–0.20 dex. While the Teff compared to APOGEE has a bias of 3 K with a scatter of 62 K, it is systematically higher by 180 K compared to other calibrations based on the bolometric temperature. Finally, we calculated the ζ index for 1308 M dwarf secondaries and presents a moderate correlation between ζ and [Fe/H].
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon luminous galaxies in JWST CEERS data
Authors: Lin Yu-Wei , Wu Cossas K-W , Ling Chih-Teng , Goto Tomotsugu , Kim Seong Jin , Kilerci Ece , Hashimoto Tetsuya , Wang Po-Ya , Ho Simon C-C , Hsiao Tiger Yu-Yang , Raquel Bjorn Jasper R , Uno Yuri
Published: December 2023

It has been an unanswered question how many dusty galaxies have been undetected from the state-of-the-art observational surveys. JWST enables us to detect faint infrared (IR) galaxies that have prominent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features in the mid-IR wavelengths. PAH is a valuable tracer of star formation and dust properties in the mid-IR wavelength. The JWST Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) fields provide us with wavelength coverage from 7.7 to 21 μm using six photometric bands of the mid-IR instrument (MIRI). We have identified galaxies dominated by mid-IR emission from PAHs, termed PAH galaxies. From our multiband photometry catalogue, we selected 10 PAH galaxies displaying high flux ratios of log (S15/S10) > 0.8. The SED fitting analysis indicates that these galaxies are star-forming galaxies with total IR luminosities of 1010 ∼ 1011.5 L⊙ at z ∼1. The morphology of PAH galaxies does not show any clear signatures of major merging or interaction within the MIRI resolution. The majority of them are on the star-formation main sequence at z ∼ 1. Our result demonstrates that JWST can detect PAH emissions from normal star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 1, in addition to ultra-luminous infrared galaxies or luminous IR galaxies (LIRGs).
Relativistic spherical shocks in expanding media
Authors: Govreen-Segal Taya , Youngerman Noam , Palit Ishika , Nakar Ehud , Levinson Amir , Bromberg Omer
Published: December 2023

We investigate the propagation of spherically symmetric shocks in relativistic homologously expanding media with density distributions following a power-law profile in their Lorentz factor. That is, $\rho _{_{\rm {ej}}} \propto t^{-3}\gamma _{_{\rm {ej}}}(r,t)^{-\alpha }$, where $\rho _{_{\rm {ej}}}$ is the medium proper density, $\gamma _{_{\rm {ej}}}$ is its Lorentz factor, α > 0 is constant, and t, r are the time and radius from the centre. We find that the shocks behaviour can be characterized by their proper velocity, $U^{\prime }=\Gamma _s^{\prime }\beta _s^{\prime }$, where $\Gamma _s^{\prime }$ is the shock Lorentz factor as measured in the immediate upstream frame and $\beta _s^{\prime }$ is the corresponding three velocity. While generally, we do not expect the shock evolution to be self-similar, for every α > 0 we find a critical value $U^{\prime }_c$ for which a self-similar solution with constant U′ exists. We then use numerical simulations to investigate the behaviour of general shocks. We find that shocks with $U^{\prime }\gt U^{\prime }_c$ have a monotonously growing U′, while those with $U^{\prime }\lt U^{\prime }_c$ have a decreasing U′ and will eventually die out. Finally, we present an analytic approximation, based on our numerical results, for the evolution of general shocks in the regime where U′ is ultrarelativistic.