bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of Cracks in Metallic Objects by Arbitrary Scanning Direction Using a Double U-Shaped Orthogonal ACFM Probe
Authors: Yuan Xin’an , Li Wei , Zhao Jianming , Yin Xiaokang , Li Xiao , Zhao Jianchao
Published: July 2024

Alternating current field measurement (ACFM) technology is developed for sizing cracks on structures. According to the theory of ACFM, the induced current should be perpendicular to the crack. So traditional ACFM probe needs to scan along the cracks. In this paper, a double u-shaped orthogonal ACFM probe is present for cracks detection by induced rotating current field at arbitrary scanning direction on structures. The finite element method (FEM) model is employed to analyze the rotating current field induced by the double u-shaped orthogonal ACFM probe. The cracks detection experiments are carried out to test cracks at arbitrary scanning direction. Results show that the crack can be detected effectively at arbitrary scanning direction using the double u-shaped orthogonal ACFM probe.
Dark fluxes from electromagnetic cascades
Authors: Blinov Nikita , Fox Patrick J. , Kelly Kevin J. , Machado Pedro A. N. , Plestid Ryan
Published: July 2024

Abstract

We study dark sector production in electromagnetic (EM) cascades. This problem requires accurate simulations of Standard Model (SM) and dark sector processes, both of which impact angular and energy distributions of emitted particles that ultimately determine flux predictions in a downstream detector. We describe the minimal set of QED processes which must be included to faithfully reproduce a SM cascade, and identify a universal algorithm to generate a dark sector flux given a Monte-Carlo simulation of a SM shower. We provide a new tool, "Image missing", which simulates EM cascades with associated dark vector production, and compare it against existing literature and “off the shelf” tools. The signal predictions at downstream detectors can strongly depend on the nontrivial interplay (and modelling) of SM and dark sector processes, in particular multiple Coulomb scattering and positron annihilation. We comment on potential impacts of these effects for realistic experimental setups.
Stability via closure relations with applications to dissipative and port-Hamiltonian systems
Authors: Glück Jochen , Jacob Birgit , Meyer Annika , Wyss Christian , Zwart Hans
Published: July 2024

We consider differential operators A that can be represented by means of a so-called closure relation in terms of a simpler operator $$A_{{\text {ext}}}$$

A
ext

defined on a larger space. We analyse how the spectral properties of A and $$A_{{\text {ext}}}$$

A
ext

are related and give sufficient conditions for exponential stability of the semigroup generated by A in terms of the semigroup generated by $$A_{{\text {ext}}}$$

A
ext

. As applications we study the long-term behaviour of a coupled wave–heat system on an interval, parabolic equations on bounded domains that are coupled by matrix-valued potentials, and of linear infinite-dimensional port-Hamiltonian systems with dissipation on an interval.
Machine learning-based shear force quality prediction of ultrasonic wire bonds: utilizing process data and machine data without additional sensors
Authors: Buchner Christoph , Seidler Christian T. , Huber Marco F. , Eigenbrod Hartmut , von Ribbeck Hans-Georg , Schlicht Franz
Published: July 2024

Ultrasonic wire bonding is a highly automated production process that is used billions of times a year in the electronics and electromobility industries. Due to the complexity of the process and the large number of influencing parameters, there are currently no automated methods that can be used without additional sensors to evaluate the shear force bond quality quantitatively and non-destructively with sufficiently high precision. For this reason, this paper presents a new methodology that uses machine learning to enable quantitative, non-destructive prediction of bond quality without additional sensors. For this purpose, a machine learning algorithm was developed that uses various machine data and process data from existing sensors to quantitatively predict the shear force of the bonded joint. In addition, features are extracted from process time series, such as current, power, and frequency of the ultrasonic generator as well as deformation during bonding. Of the total of 2,090 features considered, the number of features could be reduced to 26 by recursive feature elimination, while maintaining the prediction accuracy. By using optimized deep neural networks, on average, a prediction precision of the regression on the shear force of the source bond of over 89.6% R2-score and a mean absolute error of 241 cN can be achieved.
Efficient approximation of stochastic turning process based on power spectral density
Authors: Fodor Gergő , Bachrathy Dániel
Published: July 2024

Turning is one of the most important material removal processes in manufacturing, where the proper understanding of the process is crucial for the quality of the final product. In this study, the stochastic cutting force is utilized to enhance the existing 1-degree-of-freedom turning model. A stochastic model is adopted to address the stochastic resonance phenomenon occurring near stability boundaries. Additionally, a novel simplified stochastic model is introduced with additive noise only. The comparison of the two models reveals that, with the recommended noise intensity of 0.1 to 1%, there is no significant difference in the stability charts and mean square characteristics between the two models. As a result, the time-consuming numerical methods can be bypassed, as the simplified model offers a computationally more efficient analytical approach to compute variance based on power spectral density (PSD). By combining techniques such as D-separation to determine stability boundaries and the PSD-based variance calculation, it only takes a minute instead of hours to construct a heatmap using the introduced simplified stochastic turning model that clearly outlines dangerous stochastic resonance regions inside the stable domain.
Alteration of β-glucan in the emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris leads to immune evasion and increased virulence
Authors: Selisana Shiela Marie Gines , Chen Xinyue , Mahfudhoh Eny , Bowolaksono Anom , Rozaliyani Anna , Orihara Kanami , Kajiwara Susumu
Published: July 2024

Candida auris is an emerging pathogenic yeast that has been categorized as a global public health threat and a critical priority among fungal pathogens. Despite this, the immune response against C. auris infection is still not well understood. Hosts fight Candida infections through the immune system that recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns such as β-glucan, mannan, and chitin on the fungal cell wall. In this study, levels of β-glucan and mannan exposures in C. auris grown under different physiologically relevant stimuli were quantified by flow cytometry-based analysis. Lactate, hypoxia, and sublethal concentration of fluconazole trigger a decrease in surface β-glucan while low pH triggers an increase in β-glucan. There is no inverse pattern between exposure levels of β-glucan and mannan in the cell wall architecture among the three clades. To determine the effect of cell wall remodeling on the immune response, a phagocytosis assay was performed, followed by quantification of released cytokines by ELISA. Lactate-induced decrease in β-glucan leads to reduced uptake of C. auris by PMA-differentiated THP-1 and RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, reduced production of CCL3/MIP-1⍺ but not TNF-⍺ and IL-10 were observed. An in vivo infection analysis using silkworms reveals that a reduction in β-glucan triggers an increase in the virulence of C. auris. This study demonstrates that β-glucan alteration occurs in C. auris and serves as an escape mechanism from immune cells leading to increased virulence.
Gastrointestinal toxicities of proteasome inhibitor therapy
Authors: Shah Jay , Devalaraju Samanthika , Baerman Elliot , Lee Irene Jeong-Ah , Takigawa Kei , Machado Antonio Pizuorno , Catinis Christine , Shatila Malek , Varatharajalu Krishnavathana , Shafi Mehnaz , Lee Hans C. , Strati Paolo , Thomas Anusha , Wang Yinghong
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Proteasome inhibitors (PIs), which cause cell death via tumor suppressor and pro-apoptotic proteins, are integral to treatment of many hematologic malignancies but are limited by their gastrointestinal adverse effects. Evidence regarding these PI-related adverse effects is scant. In this study, we evaluated gastrointestinal adverse events caused by PIs and compared gastrointestinal toxicities between bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of cancer patients treated with PIs at a tertiary care cancer center to investigate the clinical characteristics of PI-related gastrointestinal adverse events.

Results

Our sample comprised 973 patients with PI exposure and stool studies ordered between January 2017 and December 2022. Of these, 193 patients (20%) had PI-related gastrointestinal toxicity based on clinical symptoms and stool study results. The most common symptom was diarrhea, present in 169 (88% of those with gastrointestinal toxicity). Twenty-two (11%) required hospitalization, and 71 (37%) developed recurrence of symptoms. Compared to bortezomib or carfilzomib, ixazomib had a longer interval from PI initiation to the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms (313 days vs 58 days vs 89 days, p = 0.002) and a significantly lower percentage of diarrhea-predominant presentation of gastrointestinal toxicity (71% vs 96% vs 91%, p = 0.048).

Conclusion

While PI-related gastrointestinal toxicities have various presentations and courses based on different regimens, the vast majority of patients presented with milder disease behavior. Despite a considerably high rate of hospitalization and recurrence after treatment necessitating optimization of clinical management, our cohort demonstrates favorable outcomes without long-term consequences.
Co-crosslinking strategy for dual functionalization of small magnetic nanoparticles with redox probes and biological probes
Authors: Chen Ye , Chen Feixiong
Published: July 2024

Surface functionalization strategy is becoming a crucial bridge from magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to their broad bio-application. To realize the multiple functions of MNPs such as magnetic manipulation, target capture, and signal amplification in their use of electrochemical biosensing, co-crosslinking strategy was proposed here to construct dual-functionalized MNPs by combining ultra-sensitive redox moieties and specific biological probes. In this work, MNPs with a TEM size of 10 nm were synthesized by co-precipitation for amination and PEGylation to maintain colloid stability once dispersed in high-ionic-strength buffer (such as phosphate-buffered saline). Then, MNPs@IgG were prepared via the bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate (BS3) cross-linker to conjugate these IgG onto the MNP surface, with a binding efficiency of 73%. To construct dual-functionalized MNPs, these redox probes of ferrocene-NHS (Fc) were co-crosslinked onto the MNP surface, together with IgG, by using BS3. The developed MNPs@Redox@IgG were characterized by SDS‒PAGE to identify IgG binding and by square wave voltammetry (SWV) to validate the redox signal. Additionally, the anti-CD63 antibodies were selected for the development of MNPs@anti-CD63 for use in the bio-testing of exosome sample capture. Therefore, co-crosslinking strategy paved a way to develop dual-functionalized MNPs that can be an aid of their potential utilization in diagnostic assay or electrochemical methods.

Graphical Abstract
Gesundheitsdatennutzungsgesetz und Digital-Gesetz unter der Lupe
Authors: Straub Nicolas , Kowalski Christoph
Published: July 2024

Hintergrund

Am 14.12.2023 verabschiedete der Deutsche Bundestag zwei Gesetze, die für die Gesundheitsforschung und -versorgung der kommenden Jahre erhebliche Bedeutung haben: erstens das Gesetz zur verbesserten Nutzung von Gesundheitsdaten (Gesundheitsdatennutzungsgesetz [GDNG]) und zweitens das Gesetz zur Beschleunigung der Digitalisierung des Gesundheitswesens (Digital-Gesetz [DigiG]). Die Gesetze traten mit Wirkung zum 26.03.2024 in Kraft. Laut Mitteilung des zuständigen Bundesgesundheitsministeriums sollen die Gesetze unter anderem Gesundheitsdaten für die Forschung erschließen (GDNG) sowie Austausch und Nutzung von Gesundheitsdaten vorantreiben (DigiG).

Methodik

In diesem Beitrag wollen wir die beiden Gesetze hinsichtlich ihrer Bedeutung für die Forschung mit versorgungsnahen Daten untersuchen. Die Gesetze werden im Lichte bestehender Regelungen zur Zulässigkeit der Datenspeicherung und -verarbeitung analysiert und mit anderen Modellen der Datennutzung der Versorgungsforschung ins Verhältnis gesetzt.

Ergebnisse

Im Ergebnis haben die Gesetze erhebliches Potenzial für die Forschung. Dies betrifft insbesondere die Möglichkeit zum Linkage von Krebsregister- und GKV-Abrechnungsdaten (GKV – gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) sowie die Eigenforschung von Gesundheitseinrichtungen im Verbund.

Schlussfolgerung

Nun kommt es auf die konkrete Umsetzung, den Aufbau erforderlicher Strukturen und das Verhalten der Datenschutzaufsichtsbehörden an, ob diese Potenziale ausgeschöpft werden.
Efficacy of pain management strategies in adults with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): A Systematic Review
Authors: Rojas-López Juan Camilo , Estrada-Gualdron Pablo Isaac , Ramírez-Guerrero Sofía , Velásquez-Cárdenas Maria J. , Redondo-Escobar Jesús , Vargas-Arenas Sofía , Palacios-Sánchez Leonardo , Palacios-Espinosa Ximena
Published: July 2024

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness. Presence of pain in ALS patients is heterogeneously reported in studies, and mostly underrepresented in symptom scales. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic modalities for pain management in patients with ALS. A systematic review was conducted in four databases; PubMed, Scopus, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane-Ovid. Five randomized controlled clinical trials were included regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management interventions in adult patients with confirmed diagnosis of ALS in whom pain was objectively evaluated. Risk of bias assessment was evaluated using the RoB2.0 tool. Eligible studies were reported as a descriptive analysis. This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO ID: CRD42024495009. Five clinical trials regarding pain management strategies in ALS were eligible for analysis. Two out of five were non-pharmacological approaches whilst the remaining three provided pharmacological therapies. Of these, Mexiletine was efficient in terms of pain relief, particularly between 600 and 900 mg per day, whereas Mecasin showed no pain relief at both, high and low doses. Non-pharmacological therapies, such as exercise and osteopathic manual treatment also lacked efficacy in regard to pain management. Clinical trials focusing on pain management strategies for ALS patients are limited. Medical professionals, understandably focused on immediate life-threatening aspects, may inadvertently sideline the nuanced and intricate dimension of pain experienced by patients with ALS.
Mast cell density in Merkel cell carcinoma and its correlation with prognostic features and MCPyV status: a pilot study
Authors: Cazzato Gerardo , Tamma Roberto , Fanelli Margherita , Colagrande Anna , Marzullo Andrea , Cascardi Eliano , Trilli Irma , Lorusso Loredana , Lettini Teresa , Ingravallo Giuseppe , Ribatti Domenico
Published: July 2024

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive, primitive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, the origin of which is not yet fully understood. Numerous independent prognostic factors have been investigated in an attempt to understand which are the most important parameters to indicate in the histological diagnostic report of MCC. Of these, mast cells have only been studied in one paper before this one. We present a retrospective descriptive study of 13 cases of MCC, received at the Department of Pathology over a 20-year period (2003–2023 inclusive) on which we performed a study using whole-slide (WSI) morphometric analysis scanning platform Aperio Scanscope CS for the detection and spatial distribution of mast cells, using monoclonal anti-tryptase antibody and anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody to study the density of microvessels. In addition, we analyzed MCPyV status with the antibody for MCPyV large T-antigen (Clone CM2B4). We found statistically significant correlation between mast cell density and local recurrence/distant metastasis/death-of-disease (p = 0.008). To our knowledge, we firstly reported that MCPyV ( −) MCC shows higher mast cells density compared to MCPyV ( +) MCC, the latter well known to be less aggressive. Besides, the median vascular density did not show no significant correlation with recurrence/metastasis/death-of-disease, (p = 0.18). Despite the small sample size, this paper prompts future studies investigating the role of mast cell density in MCC.
Cyclic loading effects and stability assessment of trees and stumps used as anchors in cable yarding operations
Authors: Marchi Luca , Mologni Omar , Byrne Ken , Grigolato Stefano , Roeser Dominik
Published: July 2024

Swing yarders in running skyline configuration using either grapples or chokers represent the most common configuration for cable yarding in coastal British Columbia. In this context, whole-tree logging and short work cycles lead to heavy and repeated loads applied to the trees and stumps when used as anchors for the rigging cables. Moreover, increased harvesting of second-growth forest stands leads to the unavailability of large and safe trees, thus introducing new challenges to identify suitable anchors and potentially increases safety risks of cable yarding operations.

The present study aimed to collect evidence of the mechanical response provided by anchors for typical cable yarders used in second-growth harvesting in coastal British Columbia, and test the suitability of innovative techniques for the stability assessment based on the relationship between the anchor root-plate rotations and the related applied tensile forces. A conspicuous dataset could be derived from all the surveys, storing anchor rotations from a total of 1522 work cycles of which 1224 work cycles included also tensions measurements. The methodological approach was proven effective for monitoring different rigging configurations giving proof that repeated loading affects the stability of a tree/stump which can rapidly change over few hours of active yarding operations. Acquired data proved also that comparing theoretical failure limits with anchor rotations could be a valid approach however a considerable amount of species-specific data from tree pulling tests is required.
Updating Swedish hunting harvest estimates of open season game based on new methods and documented data
Authors: Lindström Tom , Jonsson Paula , Skorsdal Felicia , Bergqvist Göran
Published: July 2024

Reliable hunting bag statistics are central for informed wildlife management. In the absence of complete reporting, hunting harvest must be estimated based on partial data, which requires reliable data and appropriate statistical methods. In the Swedish system, hunting teams, whose positions are known to the level of Hunting Management Precincts (HMPs), report their harvest of open season game and the size of the land on which they hunt, and the harvest on the non-reported area is estimated based on the reports. In this study, we improved data quality by solving several identified issues in the spatial data and provided temporally consistent estimates of huntable land (EHL) based on documented assumptions. We applied a recently developed method, the Bayesian Hierarchical and Autoregressive Estimation of Hunting Harvest (BaHAREHH), to harvest reports of 34 species from 2003–2021, using both previous and updated EHL, and compared harvest estimates to previously available estimates using naïve linear extrapolation (LE), which has been used as Sweden’s official harvest statistics. We found that updating EHL had a minor effect on harvest estimates at the national level but sometimes had a large impact at the level of individual HMPs. At the national level, previous LE estimates were similar to updated BaHAREHH estimates for species harvested at large numbers, but discrepancies were observed for species harvested at low rates. Time series of harvest estimated with LE had exaggerated temporal trends, higher coefficient of variation, and lower autcorrelation. At the level of counties and HMPs, there were substantial differences for all species, with some harvest estimates differing by several orders of magnitude. We conclude that the previously available LE estimates are sensitive to individual reports that add variability to the estimates and are, for some species, unreliable, especially at the level of county and HMP.
Molecular and immunological studies on Theileria equi and its vector in Egypt
Authors: Ramadan Reem M. , Taha Noha Madbouly , Auda Hend M. , Elsamman Eslam M. , El-Bahy Mohamed M. , Salem Mai A.
Published: July 2024

Equine piroplasmosis is not fully understood regarding pathogenicity, prophylaxis, host immune response expression, and specific vectors. Accurately identifying the parasite vector is crucial for developing an effective control plan for a particular infection. This study focused on morphologically identifying twoHyalommaspecies (H. anatolicumandH. marginatum) and oneRhipicephalus annulatus(R. annulatus) at the species level. The identification process was followed by phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining method based on the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COXI) gene as a specific vector forTheileria equi(T. equi) in horses.T. equiwas diagnosed morphologically and molecularly from infected blood samples and crushed tick species using conventional PCR. Subsequently, phylogenetic analysis based on the amplification of the 18 S rRNA gene was conducted. The obtained sequence data were evaluated and registered in GenBank under accession numbers OR064161, OR067911, OR187727, and OR068139, representing the three tick species and the isolatedT. equi, respectively. The study demonstrated thatT. equiinfection leads to immune system suppression by significantly increasing the levels of oxidative stress markers (CAT, GPx, MDA, and SOD) (P ≤ 0.0001), with this elevation being directly proportional to parasitemia levels in infected blood cells. Furthermore, a correlation was observed between parasitemia levels and the expression of immune response infection genes (IFN-gamma, TGF-β1, and IL-1β cytokines) in infected horses compared to non-infected equine. Common macroscopic symptoms indicatingT. equiinfection in horses include intermittent fever, enlarged lymph nodes (LN), and tick infestation.
Investigation of RC structure damages after February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquake in the Hatay region
Authors: Doğan Talha Polat , Kalkan Hüseyin , Aldemir Ömer , Ayhan Murat , Böcek Meryem , Anıl Özgür
Published: July 2024

From a tectonic perspective, Türkiye is a geographical region known for its high seismic activity, with some of the most active faults in the world. On February 6, 2023, two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of Mw 7.7 and Mw 7.6 struck Kahramanmaraş within a remarkably short time span of 9 h. This event stands out as a rare and unprecedented tectonic occurrence in terms of seismicity and tectonic activity over the past 100 years. The impact of these two major earthquakes on the region's reinforced concrete structures was significant, resulting in severe damage and the collapse of numerous buildings. It is of utmost importance to investigate and examine the design flaws and underlying factors that contributed to the damage observed in the reinforced concrete structures affected by these earthquakes. Such research will not only contribute to the improvement of structural design, seismic regulations, and quality control measures during construction but also enhance our understanding of earthquake engineering. In this study, an in-depth field investigation was conducted on reinforced concrete structures in Hatay, one of the regions most affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. The damages occurring in the buildings were documented through a detailed field survey and analyzed. A total of 540 reinforced concrete structures in the Hatay region were extensively examined, and the damages that occurred in these structures were photographed and interpreted to understand their underlying causes. Subsequently, based on the findings from the field investigation, a structural model was designed that incorporated the most significant design and construction errors responsible for the damages observed in the 540 examined structures. The devised model was subjected to static push-over analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis using the SAP2000 finite element software, and the results obtained were interpreted.
Training and assessing convolutional neural network performance in automatic vascular segmentation using Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT
Authors: Parry R. , Wright K. , Bellinge J. W. , Ebert M. A. , Rowshanfarzad P. , Francis R. J. , Schultz C. J.
Published: July 2024

To evaluate a convolutional neural network’s performance (nnU-Net) in the assessment of vascular contours, calcification and PET tracer activity using Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT. Patients who underwent Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT imaging over a 12-month period for neuroendocrine investigation were included. Manual cardiac and aortic segmentations were performed by an experienced observer. Scans were randomly allocated in ratio 64:16:20 for training, validation and testing of the nnU-Net model. PET tracer uptake and calcium scoring were compared between segmentation methods and different observers. 116 patients (53.5% female) with a median age of 64.5 years (range 23–79) were included. There were strong, positive correlations between all segmentations (mostly r > 0.98). There were no significant differences between manual and AI segmentation of SUVmean for global cardiac (mean ± SD 0.71 ± 0.22 vs. 0.71 ± 0.22; mean diff 0.001 ± 0.008, p > 0.05), ascending aorta (mean ± SD 0.44 ± 0.14 vs. 0.44 ± 0.14; mean diff 0.002 ± 0.01, p > 0.05), aortic arch (mean ± SD 0.44 ± 0.10 vs. 0.43 ± 0.10; mean diff 0.008 ± 0.16, p > 0.05) and descending aorta (mean ± SD < 0.001; 0.58 ± 0.12 vs. 0.57 ± 0.12; mean diff 0.01 ± 0.03, p > 0.05) contours. There was excellent agreement between the majority of manual and AI segmentation measures (r ≥ 0.80) and in all vascular contour calcium scores. Compared with the manual segmentation approach, the CNN required a significantly lower workflow time. AI segmentation of vascular contours using nnU-Net resulted in very similar measures of PET tracer uptake and vascular calcification when compared to an experienced observer and significantly reduced workflow time.
Short, Long, and Segmented Learning Videos: From YouTube Practice to Enhanced Video Players
Authors: Seidel Niels
Published: July 2024

In the literature, one can find many claims about how long a learning video should be, but only a few valid reasons and even less empirical evidence. It is argued that a video should be as short as possible according to the learners’ attention span. Short videos shall prevent the learner from becoming too passive. The Segmenting Principle postulates the division of longer passages into smaller, separate sections as an alternative to shortening. In this article, we present two studies. In the first study, we examined the video length and segmentations of the entire 895 German and a sample of 524 English channels from YouTube Education (83,558/154,370 videos). We clustered the videos by length into three groups and identified a series of videos by their titles. Short Videos with up to 14 or 22 min of playing time can be considered common practice. About 8 % of the videos with short lengths were part of a series of segmented videos. Videos of medium length were part of a series in 21 % and 14 % of the cases. We conclude that dividing comprehensive video-based learning resources into multiple segments is a common practice. In the second study, we investigate two design variants for structuring longer videos into segments: (i) video with an additional chapter overview, visible chapter boundaries, and navigation options for the segments, and (ii) sequence of segmented videos of suitable length. An online user study compared these two variants with non-segmented video players (N=22). Segmented videos resulted in higher learning gains than the non-segmented version of the same video. The participants perceived the segmented videos in conditions (i) and (ii) better structured. The question of video length is not crucial for learning outcomes as long as the video can be provided in meaningful segments within the video player.
On the cardinality of irredundant and minimal bases of finite permutation groups
Authors: Dalla Volta Francesca , Mastrogiacomo Fabio , Spiga Pablo
Published: July 2024

Given a finite permutation group G with domain $$\Omega $$
Ω
, we associate two subsets of natural numbers to G, namely $${\mathcal {I}}(G,\Omega )$$

I
(
G
,
Ω
)

and $${\mathcal {M}}(G,\Omega )$$

M
(
G
,
Ω
)

, which are the sets of cardinalities of all the irredundant and minimal bases of G, respectively. We prove that $${\mathcal {I}}(G,\Omega )$$

I
(
G
,
Ω
)

is an interval of natural numbers, whereas $${\mathcal {M}}(G,\Omega )$$

M
(
G
,
Ω
)

may not necessarily form an interval. Moreover, for a given subset of natural numbers $$X \subseteq {\mathbb {N}}$$

X
⊆
N

, we provide some conditions on X that ensure the existence of both intransitive and transitive groups G such that $${\mathcal {I}}(G,\Omega ) = X$$

I
(
G
,
Ω
)
=
X

and $${\mathcal {M}}(G,\Omega ) = X$$

M
(
G
,
Ω
)
=
X

.
Transitive generalized toggle groups containing a cycle
Authors: Bloom Jonathan S. , Saracino Dan
Published: July 2024

In (Striker in Discret Math Theor Comput Sci 20, 2018), Striker generalized Cameron and Fon-Der-Flaass’s notion of a toggle group. In this paper, we begin the study of transitive generalized toggle groups that contain a cycle. We first show that if such a group has degree n and contains a transposition or a 3-cycle, then the group contains $$A_n$$

A
n

. Using the result about transpositions, we then prove that a transitive generalized toggle group that contains a short cycle must be primitive. Employing a result of Jones (Bull Aust Math Soc 89(1):159-165, 2014), which relies on the classification of the finite simple groups, we conclude that any transitive generalized toggle group of degree n that contains a cycle with at least 3 fixed points must also contain $$A_n$$

A
n

. Finally, we look at imprimitive generalized toggle groups containing a long cycle and show that they decompose into a direct product of primitive generalized toggle groups each containing a long cycle.
Game Changer: Exploring the Role of Board Games in the Lives of Autistic People
Authors: Cross Liam , Belshaw Francesca , Piovesan Andrea , Atherton Gray
Published: July 2024

This mixed methods paper reports findings from three studies examining the overlap between autism and hobbyist board gaming. The first was a quantitative survey of over 1600 board gamers, showing that autistic individuals are overrepresented in this hobby compared to the general population and that autistic traits measured by the AQ are significantly elevated amongst board gamers. Study 1 also assessed gamers’ motivations and preferences and reported key differences as well as similarities between autistic and non-autistic gamers. The second was a qualitative study that reported the results of 13 interviews with autistic individuals who are hobbyist board gamers. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four key themes were uncovered, including a preference for systemising, escapism and passions, the social lubrication effect of games and difficulties with deception. In the third, 28 autistic individuals were introduced to board games in groups of 5–10 over an afternoon. Subsequent focus groups were then analysed using IPA. This analysis uncovered themes around how board games are challenging but encouraged growth and how they were an alternative vehicle for forging social relationships. Through this paper, we discuss how and why board games may be a popular hobby amongst the autistic population, and its potential utility for improving autistic wellbeing.
Spontaneous Generation of Unconventional Language and Its Link with Grammatical Performance in Chinese Adults With and Without ASD
Authors: Wu Zixuan , Lam Cherry , To Carol K. S.
Published: July 2024

This study investigated the generation of unconventional language in the spontaneous speech of Chinese adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and how it was related to their grammatical performance, when compared to neurotypical (NT) controls. Twenty Cantonese-speaking adults with ASD and 20 NT controls completed three interview tasks in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2), and their spontaneous speech was recorded and transcribed. Utterances containing unconventional language (neologisms, idiosyncratic phrases, and pedantic language), morphosyntactic errors, mean length of utterance (MLU), and mazes were computed. The ASD group produced more neologisms, idiosyncratic phrases, and pedantic language than the NT group and their grammatical difficulties were shown in shorter MLU but not morphosyntactic errors. Mazes were more frequent in the ASD than the NT group. While the use of unconventional language increased with MLU in the NT group, it correlated positively with mazes in the ASD group. Generation of unconventional language, particularly pedantic language, in Cantonese-speaking NT adults is linked to more advanced grammar, while it appears to be a common speech characteristic among autistic speakers regardless of individual grammatical performance.
“It Just Makes You Feel Horrible”: A Thematic Analysis of the Stigma Experiences of Youth with Anxiety and Depression
Authors: Ansell Megan E. , Finlay-Jones Amy L. , Bayliss Donna M. , Ohan Jeneva L.
Published: July 2024

Experiencing stigma is associated with a range of negative outcomes for people with mental health disorders. However, little is understood about the contemporary stigma experiences of young people with anxiety and depression. This study aimed to describe these experiences using semi-structured qualitative interviews. Thirteen young people (aged 16–24 years) who self-reported a primary diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety were interviewed about their stigma experiences. Many experiences and perceptions of stigma were common to all participants. Six themes were developed through thematic analysis of participants’ descriptions. The first theme, ‘stigma is pervasive’, pertains to the way that stigma is expressed to and experienced by all young people with anxiety and depression. Three themes describe the content of stigma experienced by participants: they felt denied, minimised, and blamed (e.g., seen as ‘faking it’ for attention, to avoid responsibility or to follow trends); seen as less than others; and treated as socially undesirable. Finally, two themes describe stigma’s consequences: self-doubt and internalisation; and withdrawal. Some of these themes differ from prior accounts of the stigma experienced by people with anxiety and depression, indicating that the conceptualisation and measurement of stigma in young people need updating to remain relevant.
Formulation of mixture proportions and experimental study of heavyweight self-compacting concrete based on magnetite and barite
Authors: Palou Martin T. , Podhorská Janette , Ju Mikwan , Park Kyoungsoo , Čepčianska Jana , Žemlička Matúš , Koplík Jan , Novotný Radoslav
Published: July 2024

The present study aims to determine the mix proportion of binder, heavyweight aggregates, water-to-binder ratio, and additives to develop self-compacting concrete with a bulk density higher than 2600 kg m−3. It also aims to evaluate the engineering properties, pore structure, and microstructure of established heavyweight self-compacting concrete. Barite (BA), magnetite (MAG) or their mix (MIX) were used as fillers, while binder was composed of Portland cement, blast furnace slag, metakaolin, and limestone at a ratio of 65:15:5:15. Based on text results of V-funnel, S-Cone diameter and S-Cone time, the proportion mix and binder: filler: binder to cement ration was optimized as follows: 1) BA 1: 3.5: 0.42, 2) MAG 1: 4: 0.42, and 3) MIX 1: 3.75: 0.42 with maximal aggregate size not exceeding 2 mm. Not only the bulk density was influenced by aggregate, but also, the mechanical properties, shrinkage, dynamic modulus of elasticity pore structure, and microstructure were also found to be dependent on fillers.
Frozen orbits around a variable mass
Authors: El-Saftawy M. I. , Abd El-Salam F. A. , Yousef M. A.
Published: July 2024

Our work is concerning to find the frozeen orbit conditions for the motion about an oblate varying mass centeral body. The Hamiltonians due to the vriation of the centeral body mass and J2 zonal harmonics, were constructed in terms of the Delaunay canonical variables. Since the time is appearing exeplicitly in the Hamiltonian function, the phase space was extended by introducing a new pair of canonical variables, $$\left({l}_{4}, {L}_{4}\right)$$

l
4

,

L
4

. The first one is, $${l}_{4}$$

l
4

, assigned as the variable mass while the second, $${L}_{4}$$

L
4

, is its conjugate momentum. The Hamiltonian of the problem was developed in the expandable form, in terms of J2 as small parameter, to be suitable for the used transformation method. Short and long periodic terms were eliminated, in successive, to obtain the secular perturbation effects. The conditions to freeze the orbital elements were derived and graphically illustrated.
Pothole detection in adverse weather: leveraging synthetic images and attention-based object detection methods
Authors: Jakubec Maros , Lieskovska Eva , Bucko Boris , Zabovska Katarina
Published: July 2024

Potholes are a pervasive road hazard with the potential to cause accidents and vehicle damage. Detecting potholes accurately is essential for timely repairs and ensuring road safety. However, existing detection methods often struggle to perform in adverse weather conditions, including rain, snow, and low visibility. This work aims to improve pothole detection across diverse weather and lighting scenarios, employing a two-phase strategy that integrates data augmentation with images generated by Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and the deployment of visual attention techniques. For this purpose, advanced models such as YOLOv8, RT-DETR, and our modified version of YOLOv8 were employed. In the first phase, multiple image-to-image translation models were trained and applied to a real-world dataset to generate synthetic images of potholes under different weather conditions, including rain, fog, overcast, dawn, and night. The detection accuracy results show improvements in all monitored metrics across most tested conditions following the incorporation of augmentation. The most significant improvement resulting from augmentation was observed in low-visibility conditions, captured during evening and night, with an increase of up to 11% and 19% in mean Average Precision (mAP@.5) across all models. The second phase employed different modifications of YOLOv8 with modules such as Attention-Based Dense Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling, Vision Transformer and Global Attention Mechanism to enhance the detection of potholes in challenging visual conditions. The compensation for increased model complexity, such as the utilization of depthwise convolutions, was also employed. To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach, a publicly available pothole dataset with images captured in diverse weather conditions is used. The results indicate that the proposed method achieved an 8.4% improvement pre-augmentation and a 5.3% improvement post-augmentation compared to the original YOLOv8, surpassing existing approaches in terms of accuracy and enhancing pothole detection in adverse weather conditions.
Image encryption framework based on multi-chaotic maps and equal pixel values quantization
Authors: Kolivand Hoshang , Hamood Sabah Fadhel , Asadianfam Shiva , Mohd Rahim Mohd Shafry , Hurst William
Published: July 2024

The importance of image encryption has considerably increased, especially after the dramatic evolution of the internet and network communications, due to the simplicity of capturing and transferring digital images. Although there are several encryption approaches, chaos-based image encryption is considered the most appropriate approach for image applications because of its sensitivity to initial conditions and control parameters. Confusion and diffusion methods have been used in conventional image encryption methods, but the ideal encrypted image has not yet been achieved. This research aims to generate an encrypted image free of statistical information to make cryptanalysis infeasible. Additionally, the motivation behind this work lies in addressing the shortcomings of conventional image encryption methods, which have not yet achieved the ideal encrypted image. The proposed framework aims to overcome these challenges by introducing a new method, Equal Pixel Values Quantization (EPVQ), along with enhancing the confusion and diffusion processes using chaotic maps and additive white Gaussian noise. Key security, statistical properties of encrypted images, and withstanding differential attacks are the most important issues in the field of image encryption. Therefore, a new method, Equal Pixel Values Quantization (EPVQ), was introduced in this study in addition to the proposed confusion and diffusion methods to achieve an ideal image encryption framework. Generally, the confusion method uses Sensitive Logistic Map (SLM), Henon Map, and additive white Gaussian noise to generate random numbers for use in the pixel permutation method. However, the diffusion method uses the Extended Bernoulli Map (EBM), Tinkerbell, Burgers, and Ricker maps to generate the random matrix. Internal Interaction between Image Pixels (IIIP) was used to implement the XOR (Exclusive OR) operator between the random matrix and scrambled image. Basically, the EPVQ method was used to idealize the histogram and information entropy of the ciphered image. The correlation between adjacent pixels was minimized to have a very small value (×10−3). Besides, the key space was extended to be very large (2450) considering the key sensitivity to hinder brute force attacks. Finally, a histogram was idealized to be perfectly equal in all occurrences, and the resulting information entropy was equal to the ideal value (8), which means that the resulting encrypted image is free of statistical properties in terms of the histogram and information entropy. Based on the findings, the high randomness of the generated random sequences of the proposed confusion and diffusion methods is capable of producing a robust image encryption framework against all types of cryptanalysis attacks.
A novel seismic vulnerability assessment for the urban roadway by using interval valued fermatean fuzzy analytical hierarchy process
Authors: Yildirim Ahmet Kaan , Kavus Bahar Yalcin , Karaca Tolga Kudret , Bozbey İlknur , Taskin Alev
Published: July 2024

Seismic activity poses significant challenges to urban road infrastructure, often resulting in road closures due to the combined effects of damaged buildings and affected road networks. In contrast, the resilience of roads is crucially important for all kinds of relief activities after an earthquake in this context, this study outlines a methodological framework for assessing the vulnerability of urban road infrastructure to seismic activity. By integrating various criteria within an Interval-valued Fermatean fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process framework, the approach offers a comprehensive analysis of vulnerability, considering both quantitative and qualitative factors. This method is a weighting method that has not been used before in MCDM studies in the field of earthquakes. A risk factor is obtained for each road section by using this comprehensive analysis of the vulnerability. This integrated approach considers the interplay between damaged buildings, road networks, and disaster response mechanisms, thereby enhancing the ability to anticipate and respond to seismic events effectively. The study conducts a case study in Istanbul, Turkey, a seismic-prone area, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. Key findings indicate that the approach can identify and quantify vulnerabilities within the transport network, enabling the identification of high-risk areas for necessary mitigation measures. Moreover, the methodology’s validity is confirmed through a validation study in Gölbaşı district, Adıyaman, Türkiye, which experienced severe damage during earthquakes on 6 February 2023 earthquakes. By providing a structured and comprehensive vulnerability analysis, the research aims to contribute to the resilience of urban infrastructure, particularly in earthquake-prone regions.
Salix species and varieties affect the molecular composition and diversity of soil organic matter
Authors: Dufour Louis J. P. , Wetterlind Johanna , Nunan Naoise , Quenea Katell , Shi Andong , Weih Martin , Herrmann Anke M.
Published: July 2024

Background and aims

Most studies of the relationships between the composition of soil organic matter and plant cover have been carried out at the plant genera level. However, they have largely overlooked the potential effects that plant varieties, belonging to the same genus, can have on soil organic matter.

Methods

We investigated whether plant varieties belonging to different Salix species (S. dasyclados and S. viminalis) impacted the composition of organic matter using mid-infrared spectroscopy and pyrolysis GC/MS. Top-soils were taken from an 18 year-old long-term field trial where six Salix varieties were grown as short-rotation coppice under two fertilisation regimes.

Results

Significant differences in the molecular composition and diversity of the soil organic matter were observed in the fertilised plots. The effects were mostly visible at the species level, i.e. the organic matter in soil under S. dasyclados varieties had higher molecular diversity and lignin content than under S. viminalis, potentially due to differences in the amount and composition of their litter inputs. Smaller differences among varieties from the same species were also observed. No significant effects of Salix varieties were observed in the unfertilised plots. The relatively high degree of spatial variability of several soil properties found in these plots may have masked plant variety and/or species effects.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence that the identity of Salix species or varieties can affect the molecular composition and diversity of soil organic matter. The corresponding traits should be considered in breeding programmes to enhance soil organic C accumulation and persistence.