bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analytical models in borehole thermometry
Authors: Ramazanov Ayrat , Habibullin I. , Fedorov V.N.
Published: October 2022

The manual discusses the issues of modeling thermohydrodynamic processes in oil reservoirs and in the borehole, which constitute the theoretical foundations of the method of borehole thermometry. At the same time, preference is given to the study of analytical models.
Meets the requirements of the federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation.
The manual is intended for students of higher educational institutions studying in oil and gas specialties. It will also be useful for graduate students and specialists dealing with issues of geophysical control of the development of oil and gas fields.
Corporate social responsibility of trade organizations
Authors: Mayorova Elena , Uryas'eva Tat'yana , Abramov Egor
Published: October 2022

The textbook is aimed at forming students' systematic understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of the implementation of the concept of corporate social responsibility in trade organizations. The evolution of the concept of corporate social responsibility is considered; the social significance of trade and its responsibility to consumers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders is revealed; the influence of corporate social responsibility on the economic efficiency and competitiveness of trade organizations is substantiated; the tools of corporate social responsibility management in trade are explained; practical materials on the management of corporate social responsibility of trade organizations in Russia and abroad are provided abroad.
It is intended for students studying in the areas of training 38.03.06 "Trade", 38.03.02 "Management", 38.03.01 "Economics", and will also be useful to industry workers.
International legal regulation of countering crimes in the field of information technology
Authors: Mysina Anastasiya , Puzyreva Yuliya , Smirnova Alena
Published: October 2022

The monograph is devoted to the complex of theoretical and applied problems of international legal regulation of countering crimes in the field of information technology. The provisions of international treaties related to the stated problems are subjected to in-depth analysis. The article presents the international legal characteristics of the institutional mechanisms of international cooperation in countering crimes in the field of information technology, as well as the features of the formation of specialized structures in various international organizations whose activities are aimed at countering crimes in the field of information technology, proposals for improving international legal regulation of this area are developed.
Designed for researchers, teachers, practicing lawyers, students and postgraduates of law schools and faculties.
Reidentification Risk in Panel Data: Protecting fork-Anonymity
Authors: Li Shaobo , Schneider Matthew J. , Yu Yan , Gupta Sachin
Published: October 2022

Market research companies collect extensive data on purchasing, travel, and app and media usage behaviors of consumers, prescriptions written by physicians, and so forth. Although the companies provide assurances of anonymity to the study participants, there is a significant concern about the vulnerability of these data. Could a motivated intruder match the pattern of purchases with the name and other personal and potentially sensitive details of an individual? We find that 17% to 94% of market research panelists in 15 frequently bought consumer goods categories are subject to high risk of reidentification through a potential record linkage attack based on their unique purchasing histories even when their identities are anonymized. We also demonstrate that the risk of reidentification in such data are vastly understated by the conventional measure, unicity, and propose a new measure, termed “sno-unicity.” To protect the privacy of panelists, we consider the well-known privacy notion of k-anonymity and develop a new approach called “graph-based minimum movement k-anonymization” that is designed especially for retaining the usefulness of panel data. We show that our approach works well in protecting participants’ privacy without substantially altering the information that marketers need for sound marketing decisions.
‘What makes me a woman has been taken away’: exploring women's experiences of treatment for cervical cancer in Ghana
Authors: Hobenu Kafui Abra , Amakpa Eric
Published: October 2022

Background/Aims

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Ghana, and is often diagnosed at the advanced stage when more invasive treatment is required. This study explored women's experiences of treatment for advanced cervical cancer in Ghana.

Methods

An exploratory descriptive phenomenological approach was used in this study. Data collection and analysis were done concurrently. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 15 women with advanced cervical cancer from the treatment centre of a teaching hospital in Ghana. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted lasting between 45 and 90 mins to gather information on their treatment experiences. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis.

Results

Three themes were identified: treatment-associated gynecological changes, gastrointestinal disturbances and body changes, with sub-themes of vaginal dryness, infertility and pseudo-menopausal changes, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, hair loss, skin changes and weight loss.

Conclusions

Women with advanced cervical cancer experience treatment-related challenges that affect their quality of life. It is recommended that experts such as clinical psychologists, nutritionists, dietitians, sex therapists and beauticians/cosmetologists are made part of the multidisciplinary team in the management of treatment for advanced cervical cancer. This will improve the quality of life of women being treated.
Research Roundup
Authors: Winter George
Published: October 2022

George Winter provides an overview of recently published articles that are of interest to practice nurses. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided.
Symplectic eigenvalues of positive-semidefinite matrices and the trace minimization theorem
Authors: Son Nguyen Thanh , Stykel Tatjana
Published: October 2022

Symplectic eigenvalues are conventionally defined for symmetric positive-definite matrices via Williamson's diagonal form. Many properties of standard eigenvalues, including the trace minimization theorem, have been extended to the case of symplectic eigenvalues. In this note, we will generalize Williamson's diagonal form for symmetric positive-definite matrices to the case of symmetric positive-semidefinite matrices, which allows us to define symplectic eigenvalues, and prove the trace minimization theorem in the new setting.
Daily Burned Area Mapping for Prescribed Rangeland Burning in the Flint Hills Region Using MODIS Data
Authors: Akinbile Demilade Samuel , Liu Zifei
Published: October 2022

Highlights

Average burn frequency and fire size were larger in the center part of the Flint Hills region.

The maximum daily burned area was 0.2 million ha. Even distribution of fires can reduce smoke impact.

Fires were concentrated on days with high solar radiation. Changing this pattern can reduce the impact on O3.

Abstract. Smoke from prescribed burning in the Flint Hills region impacts air quality and contributes to the exceedances of ozone (O3). The objectives of this study were 1) to map the daily burned area in this region from 2003 to 2019 using the combination of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) highest resolution imagery and standard active fire data from satellite, and 2) to identify the spatial and temporal distributions and patterns of daily fire activities. Red and near-infrared images were combined, and supervised minimum distance classification of the bi-spectral images was applied to map the daily burned area. Results showed that fire activities were highly concentrated in a few days in mid-April. The annual burned percentage (ranged from 11% to 52%) and the average fire size (ranged from 160 to 400 ha) were larger in the central part of the Flint Hills region than in the Southern part and at the edge. On average, the preferred weather conditions by landowners only occurred in around 10 days in one spring burning season. The maximum daily burned area in the Flint Hills study region was as high as 0.2 million ha, about 1/6 of the total burned area in the whole spring burning season. Based on analysis of historical daily burned area and weather data, most fires occurred on days with high solar radiation, favoring O3 production. Changing this pattern or more evenly distributed fires can reduce the smoke impact on daily O3. The results of this study provided a solid foundation for the ongoing development of O3 regression models using daily burned area and meteorological factors as predictor variables. Keywords: MODIS, Ozone, Prescribed burning, Remote sensing, Smoke impact.
Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Part Geometric Tolerances on Piston/Cylinder Interface Performance
Authors: Sarode Shanmukh , Shang Lizhi , Vacca Andrea
Published: October 2022

Manufacturing errors are inevitable in hydraulic machines. The manufactured geometry of solid parts directly governs the performance of these machines. This paper reports an extensive simulation study for manufactured inaccuracies on the performance of the piston/cylinder interface of an axial piston machine using the state-of-the-art simulation tool. The performance of swashplate type axial piston machines is characterized mainly by the three lubricating interfaces including the cylinder block/valve plate, slipper/swashplate and piston/cylinder interface. Among the three lubricating interfaces, the piston/cylinder interface is more sensitive to manufacturing inaccuracies such as roundness and conicity of the solid parts as well as the precision and accuracy of the manufactured nominal diameters of the solid parts. This is because the manufactured geometry of the cylinder bore, and the piston directly affects the height and the shape of the lubricating gap of the piston/cylinder interface. Therefore, the manufacturing form deviations of the solid parts directly affects the viscous friction, leakage flow, wear process and lifetime of such lubricating interfaces. The fully coupled fluid structure thermal interaction model can predict the energy dissipation, viscous friction, leakage flow and the gap height considering the geometry of the solid parts.
FEDResNet: a flexible image encryption and decryption scheme based on end-to-end image diffusion with dilated ResNet
Authors: Zhu Leqing , Qu Weiwei , Wen Xingyang , Zhu Chunxiang
Published: October 2022

Image encryption has emerged as a method of disguising an image with a noisy or meaningless appearance to prevent its content from being accessed by unauthorized users. We propose an architecture named flexible image encryption and decryption ResNet (FEDResNet) for diffusing an image in end-to-end mode. The architecture consists of an encryption network for diffusing the image and a decryption network for restoring the plaintext image from the diffused image. To enhance the security of the encrypted image, the diffused image is further processed with two optional operations: parallel scrambling and serial diffusion. Two key planes are constructed based on a user-defined key with a chaotic map to control the authority to access images. The structure and parameters of FEDResNet can be shared publicly by different users; hence, it is more flexible and convenient than previous deep-learning-based image encryption methods. A classification network is trained to classify medical images in ciphertext environments. The proposed FEDResNet is trained and tested on the ImageNet data set. Extensive experiments have been performed, and the experimental results suggest that the proposed model can achieve a high level of security with satisfactory efficiency. The experimental results also show that FEDResNet-encrypted images can be classified directly in the ciphertext domain by authorized users as accurately as plaintext images, which is a superior property that is not possessed by traditional image encryption methods.
Multimode polymer chirped fiber Bragg grating for shock and detonation velocity
Authors: Barbarin Yohan , Lefrançois Alexandre , Chuzeville Vincent , Hereil Pascal , Echaoui Sofiane , Thamié Louis , Luc Jérôme
Published: October 2022

Shock and detonation velocities are today measured continuously using long silica
chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs). These thin probes can be
directly inserted into high-explosive samples. The use of a polymer
fiber increases the sensitivity at low pressure levels when studying,
for instance, shock-to-detonation transitions in wedge tests. The
22-mm-long multimode polymer CFBGs have, therefore, been manufactured
and characterized. A first detonation experiment was realized on a
narrow Formex strip using such a sensor. The feasibility is
demonstrated, and the associated uncertainties, mostly coming from the
use of a multimode fiber, are discussed.
Ellipsometry: dielectric functions of anisotropic crystals and symmetry
Authors: Jellison Gerald E. , Podraza Nikolas J. , Shan Ambalanath
Published: October 2022

The optical functions of anisotropic materials can be determined using
generalized ellipsometry, which can measure the cross-polarization
coefficients (CPs) of the sample surface reflections. These CPs have
several symmetry relations with respect to the symmetry of the
crystal. This paper explores the symmetry relations of these CPs for
uniaxial, orthorhombic, and monoclinic crystals and the requirements
for generalized ellipsometry. Several ellipsometry measurement
configurations are examined, including the requirements for the
accurate measurements of the dielectric functions of anisotropic
crystals.
Asymmetric reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
Authors: Wei Kejin , Chen Zihao , Li Zijian , Zheng Bingbing , Zhang Zhenrong
Published: October 2022

Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution is a promising candidate for building star-type quantum secure networks because it does not require reference alignment and removes all detector-side-channel attacks. However, prior works considered only a symmetric case in which the channels of both users have the same loss. In a realistic quantum secure network, the losses of various channels are likely to be different owing to their geographical locations. In this study, we present an asymmetric protocol for scalable reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution networks. By allowing independent adjustments of signal intensities of both users, our protocol provides a higher key rate than previous symmetric protocols in a realistic quantum secure network. The simulation results demonstrate that our protocol works well under realistic experimental conditions and obtains a key rate that is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that of previous methods. Our study paves the way for high-rate quantum secure communication network development.
Compressed sensing in photonics: tutorial
Authors: Kilic Velat , Tran Trac D. , Foster Mark A.
Published: October 2022

Traditional optical imaging and sensing methods capture signals of interest by direct sampling in the domain of interest such as by forming images on pixelated camera sensors or by regular temporal sampling of a waveform. These methods are indispensable in our daily lives and for many scientific disciplines such as microscopy in biology and spectroscopy in chemistry. Using these approaches, the sampling constraints and their impact on the bounds on signal fidelity are well understood through the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem. However, the problems of modern science require ever increasing amounts of data at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales and resolutions, which challenges the limits of traditional sensing. The increased availability of computational power combined with recent strides in signal processing promise to surpass many of the problems associated with traditional sensing methods through computational imaging and sensing methods. Within the realm of computational sensing, compressed sensing (CS), in particular, has enabled the capture of signals with lower sampling resources than traditionally required by the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem using prior information such as sparsity. In this tutorial, we focus on the operation and impact of such sub-Nyquist sampling schemes through the use of CS in photonic sensing and imaging systems. Emphasis is placed on intuition, but mathematical results are derived or cited where appropriate. Finally, we highlight several applications in macroscopic and microscopic imaging, spectroscopy, and microwave photonic sensing.
O2 based resonantly ionized photoemission thermometry analysis of supersonic flows
Authors: McCord Walker , Gragston Mark , Plemmons David , Zhang Zhili
Published: October 2022

Characterization of the thermal gradients within supersonic and hypersonic flows is essential for understanding transition, turbulence, and aerodynamic heating. Developments in novel, impactful non-intrusive techniques are key for enabling flow characterizations of sufficient detail that provide experimental validation datasets for computational simulations. In this work, Resonantly Ionized Photoemission Thermometry (RIPT) signals are directly imaged using an ICCD camera to realize the techniques 1D measurement capability for the first time. The direct imaging scheme presented for oxygen-based RIPT (O2 RIPT) uses the previously established calibration data to direct excite various resonant rotational peaks within the S-branch of the C3Π, (v = 2) ← X3Σ(v′ = 0) absorption band of O2. The efficient ionization of O2 liberates electrons that induce electron avalanche ionization of local N2 molecules generating N2+, which primarily deexcites via photoemissions of the first negative band of

N
2
+

(

B
2

Σ
u
+

−

X
2

Σ
g
+

)

. When sufficient lasing energy is used, the ionization region and subsequent photoemission signal is achieved along a 1D line thus, if directly imaged can allow for gas temperature assignments along said line; demonstrated here of up to five centimeters in length. The temperature gradients present within the ensuing shock train of a supersonic under expanded free jet serves as a basis of characterization for this new RIPT imaging scheme. The O2 RIPT results are extensively compared and validated against well-known and established techniques (i.e., CARS and CFD). The direct imaging capability fully realizes the technique’s fundamental potential and is expected to be the standard of implementation going forward. The direct imaging capability can play instrumental roles in future scientific studies that rely upon acute characterization of thermal gradients within a medium that cannot be easily resolved by a point. Furthermore, the removal of the spectrometer greatly reduces the cost, complexity, and optical alignment associated with prior RIPT measurements.
Designing structures that maximize spatially averaged surface-enhanced Raman spectra
Authors: Yao Wenjie , Verdugo Francesc , Everitt Henry O. , Christiansen Rasmus E. , Johnson Steven G.
Published: October 2022

We present a general framework for inverse design of nanopatterned surfaces that maximize spatially averaged surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) spectra from molecules distributed randomly throughout a material or fluid, building upon a recently proposed trace formulation for optimizing incoherent emission. This leads to radically different designs than optimizing SERS emission at a single known location, as we illustrate using several 2D design problems addressing effects of hot-spot density, angular selectivity, and nonlinear damage. We obtain optimized structures that perform about 4 × better than coating with optimized spheres or bowtie structures and about 20 × better when the nonlinear damage effects are included.
Design of an all-optical multi-logic operation-integrated metamaterial-based terahertz logic gate
Authors: Wang Ziqun , Zhang Zijing , Qiu Fu , Wang Meng , Yang Weiguo , Li Zhenhua , Hu Xiaofei , Li Yuanping , Yan Xin , Yao Haiyun , Liang Lanju
Published: October 2022

Terahertz logic gates play a vital role in optical signal processing and terahertz digitization. Herein, a strategy to design an all-optical terahertz logic gate device composed of metamaterials with a semiconductor-metal hybrid is proposed; accordingly, a concrete logic gate composed of Ge embedded-in Au stripe supported by a Si board is presented theoretically. Simulation results reveal the dependence of the terahertz transmission spectra on the different illuminations in the device. Based on the illumination-transmission response, the designed device can realize the NOR or OR Boolean operation. The effects of the width of the Ge-Au stripe as well as the Si board on the transmission spectra and logic performance were also investigated.
Intra-cavity frequency-doubled VECSEL system for narrow linewidth Rydberg EIT spectroscopy
Authors: Hill Joshua C. , Holland William K. , Kunz Paul D. , Cox Kevin C. , Penttinen Jussi-Pekka , Kantola Emmi , Meyer David H.
Published: October 2022

High-power, narrow-linewidth light sources in the visible and UV spectra are in growing demand, particularly as quantum information and sensing research proliferates. Vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) with intra-cavity frequency conversion are emerging as an attractive platform to fill these needs. Using such a device, we demonstrate 3.5 MHz full-width half-maximum Rydberg-state spectroscopy via electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The laser’s 690 mW of output power at a wavelength of 475 nm enables large Rabi frequencies and strong signal-to-noise ratio in shorter measurement times. In addition, we characterize the frequency stability of the VECSEL using the delayed self-heterodyne technique and direct comparison with a commercial external-cavity diode laser (ECDL). We measure the pre-doubled light’s Lorentzian linewidth to be 2π × 5.3(2) kHz, and the total linewidth to be 2π × 23(2) kHz. These measurements provide evidence that intra-cavity frequency-doubled VECSELs can perform precision spectroscopy at and below the MHz level, and are a promising tool for contemporary, and future, quantum technologies.
Photoluminescence microscopy as a noninvasive characterization method for defects in gallium oxide and aluminum gallium oxide epitaxial films
Authors: Cooke Jacqueline , Ranga Praneeth , Jesenovec Jani , Bhattacharyya Arkka , Cheng Xueling , Wang Yunshan , McCloy John S. , Krishnamoorthy Sriram , Scarpulla Michael A. , Sensale-Rodriguez Berardi
Published: October 2022

Herein we utilize polarized photoluminescence (PL) microscopy and spectral analysis to locate and characterize many different types of µm-scale extended defects present in melt-grown bulk crystals and metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE)-grown epitaxial thin films of β-Ga2O3 and β-(Al,Ga)2O3. These include pits, divots, mounds, scratches, rotation domain boundaries, stacking faults, cracks, and other defect categories. Some types of µm-scale defects simply decrease overall PL yield, while others emit different spectra than single crystal regions. We combine PL microscopy with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to provide detailed characteristics of these different types of features which can arise from both bulk crystal growth, surface preparation, and epitaxial growth processes. We show that sample quality (in terms of extended defects) can be determined by using PL and that attributing spectral features to isolated point defects is invalid unless the sample is proven to not contain extended defects.
Disentangling choice value and choice conflict in sequential decisions under risk
Authors: Fontanesi Laura , Shenhav Amitai , Gluth Sebastian
Published: October 2022

Recent years have witnessed a surge of interest in understanding the neural and cognitive dynamics that drive sequential decision making in general and foraging behavior in particular. Due to the intrinsic properties of most sequential decision-making paradigms, however, previous research in this area has suffered from the difficulty to disentangle properties of the decision related to (a) the value of switching to a new patch versus, which increases monotonically, and (b) the conflict experienced between choosing to stay or leave, which first increases but then decreases after reaching the point of indifference between staying and switching. Here, we show how the same problems arise in studies of sequential decision-making under risk, and how they can be overcome, taking as a specific example recent research on the ‘pig’ dice game. In each round of the ‘pig’ dice game, people roll a die and accumulate rewards until they either decide to proceed to the next round or lose all rewards. By combining simulation-based dissections of the task structure with two experiments, we show how an extension of the standard paradigm, together with cognitive modeling of decision-making processes, allows to disentangle properties related to either switch value or choice conflict. Our study elucidates the cognitive mechanisms of sequential decision making and underscores the importance of avoiding potential pitfalls of paradigms that are commonly used in this research area.
DLoopCaller: A deep learning approach for predicting genome-wide chromatin loops by integrating accessible chromatin landscapes
Authors: Wang Siguo , Zhang Qinhu , He Ying , Cui Zhen , Guo Zhenghao , Han Kyungsook , Huang De-Shuang
Published: October 2022

In recent years, major advances have been made in various chromosome conformation capture technologies to further satisfy the needs of researchers for high-quality, high-resolution contact interactions. Discriminating the loops from genome-wide contact interactions is crucial for dissecting three-dimensional(3D) genome structure and function. Here, we present a deep learning method to predict genome-wide chromatin loops, called DLoopCaller, by combining accessible chromatin landscapes and raw Hi-C contact maps. Some available orthogonal data ChIA-PET/HiChIP and Capture Hi-C were used to generate positive samples with a wider contact matrix which provides the possibility to find more potential genome-wide chromatin loops. The experimental results demonstrate that DLoopCaller effectively improves the accuracy of predicting genome-wide chromatin loops compared to the state-of-the-art method Peakachu. Moreover, compared to two of most popular loop callers, such as HiCCUPS and Fit-Hi-C, DLoopCaller identifies some unique interactions. We conclude that a combination of chromatin landscapes on the one-dimensional genome contributes to understanding the 3D genome organization, and the identified chromatin loops reveal cell-type specificity and transcription factor motif co-enrichment across different cell lines and species.
Nuclear position modulates long-range chromatin interactions
Authors: Finn Elizabeth H. , Misteli Tom
Published: October 2022

The human genome is non-randomly organized within the cell nucleus. Spatial mapping of genome folding by biochemical methods and imaging has revealed extensive variation in locus interaction frequencies between cells in a population and between homologs within an individual cell. Commonly used mapping approaches typically examine either the relative position of genomic sites to each other or the position of individual loci relative to nuclear landmarks. Whether the frequency of specific chromatin-chromatin interactions is affected by where in the nuclear space a locus is located is unknown. Here, we have simultaneously mapped at the single cell level the interaction frequencies and radial position of more than a hundred locus pairs using high-throughput imaging to ask whether the location within the nucleus affects interaction frequency. We find strong enrichment of many interactions at specific radial positions. Position-dependency of interactions was cell-type specific, correlated with local chromatin type, and cell-type-specific enriched associations were marked by increased variability, sometimes without a significant decrease in mean spatial distance. These observations demonstrate that the folding of the chromatin fiber, which brings genomically distant loci into proximity, and the position of that chromatin fiber relative to nuclear landmarks, are closely linked.
Development and validation of a quantitative PCR for the detection of Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis)
Authors: Coker Sarah M. , Box Erin K. , Stilwell Natalie , Thiele Elizabeth A. , Cotton James A. , Haynes Ellen , Yabsley Michael J. , Cleveland Christopher A.
Published: October 2022

Dracunculus medinensis (Guinea worm) is a parasitic nematode that can cause the debilitating disease dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) in humans. The global Guinea Worm Eradication Program has led intervention and eradication efforts since the 1980s, and Guinea worm infections in people have decreased >99.99%. With the final goal of eradication drawing nearer, reports of animal infections from some remaining endemic countries pose unique challenges. Currently, confirmation of suspected Guinea worm infection relies on conventional molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is not specific to Guinea worm and, therefore, requires sequencing of the PCR products to confirm the identity of suspect samples, a process that often takes a few weeks. To decrease the time required for species confirmation, we developed a quantitative PCR assay targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene of Guinea worm. Our assay has a limit of detection of 10 copies per reaction. The mean analytical parameters (± SE) were as follows: efficiency = 93.4 ± 7.7%, y-intercept = 40.93 ± 1.11, slope = -3.4896 ± 0.12, and the R2 = 0.999 ± 0.004. The assay did not amplify other nematodes found in Guinea worm-endemic regions and demonstrated 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Implementation of this quantitative PCR assay for Guinea worm identification could eliminate the need for DNA sequencing to confirm species. Thus, this approach can be implemented to provide more rapid confirmation of Guinea worm infections, leading to faster execution of Guinea worm interventions while increasing our understanding of infection patterns.
Relationship between finger movement characteristics and brain voxel-based morphometry
Authors: Sugioka Junpei , Suzumura Shota , Kuno Katsumi , Kizuka Shiori , Sakurai Hiroaki , Kanada Yoshikiyo , Mizuguchi Tomohiko , Kondo Izumi
Published: October 2022

Background

Aging is the most significant risk factor for dementia. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounts for approximately 60–80% of all dementia cases in older adults. This study aimed to examine the relationship between finger movements and brain volume in AD patients using a voxel-based reginal analysis system for Alzheimer’s disease (VSRAD) software.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with AD at the Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders were included. The diagnostic criteria were based on the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association. A finger-tapping device was used for all measurements. Participants performed the tasks in the following order: with their non-dominant hand, dominant hand, both hands simultaneously, and alternate hands. Movements were measured for 15 s each. The relationship between distance and output was measured. Magnetic resonance imaging measurements were performed, and VSRAD was conducted using sagittal section 3D T1-weighted images. The Z-score was used to calculate the severity of medial temporal lobe atrophy. Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient analyzed the relationship between the severity of medial temporal lobe atrophy and mean values of the parameters in the finger-tapping movements. The statistical significance level was set at <5%. The calculated p-values were corrected using the Bonferroni method.

Results

Sixty-two patients were included in the study. Comparison between VSRAD and MoCA-J scores corrected for p-values showed a significant negative correlation with the extent of gray matter atrophy (r = -0. 52; p< 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between the severity of medial temporal lobe atrophy and standard deviation (SD) of the distance rate of velocity peak in extending movements in the non-dominant hand (r = 0. 51; p< 0.001).

Conclusions

The SD of distance rate of velocity peak in extending movements extracted from finger taps may be a useful parameter for the early detection of AD and diagnosis of its severity.
Computer cyberspace security mechanism supported by cloud computing
Authors: Fu ZeYuan
Published: October 2022

To improve the cybersecurity of Cloud Computing (CC) system. This paper proposes a Network Anomaly Detection (NAD) model based on the Fuzzy-C-Means (FCM) clustering algorithm. Secondly, the Cybersecurity Assessment Model (CAM) based on Grey Relational Grade (GRG) is creatively constructed. Finally, combined with Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) algorithm, this work proposes a CC network-oriented data encryption technology, selects different data sets for different models, and tests each model through design experiments. The results show that the average Correct Detection Rate (CDR) of the NAD model for different types of abnormal data is 93.33%. The average False Positive Rate (FPR) and the average Unreported Rate (UR) are 6.65% and 16.27%, respectively. Thus, the NAD model can ensure a high detection accuracy in the case of sufficient data. Meanwhile, the cybersecurity situation prediction by the CAM is in good agreement with the actual situation. The error between the average value of cybersecurity situation prediction and the actual value is only 0.82%, and the prediction accuracy is high. The RSA algorithm can control the average encryption time for very large text, about 12s. The decryption time is slightly longer but within a reasonable range. For different-size text, the encryption time is maintained within 0.5s. This work aims to provide important technical support for anomaly detection, overall security situation analysis, and data transmission security protection of CC systems to improve their cybersecurity.
Population size estimation of transgender women and men in Bhutan
Authors: Khandu Lekey , Kinley Kinley , Norbu Yonten Choki , Tobgay Tashi , Tsheten Tashi , Gyeltshen Tenzin , Choden Sonam , McFarland Willi
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Transgender persons experience health disparities and are marginalized in many societies worldwide. Even their numbers are unknown in many countries. We conducted the first effort to estimate the population size of transgender women (TGW) and transgender men (TGM) in Bhutan from November 2019 to January 2020.

Methods

Community-based surveys of TGW and TGM integrated several methods to estimate the size of hidden populations, including key informant mapping, wisdom-of-the-crowd, the service multiplier, and the unique object multiplier. Results of the several methods were synthesized using a Bayesian approach.

Results

Surveys included 34 TGW and 124 TGM. TGW was persons assigned to the male sex at birth and currently self-identified as “trans women” (91%), “women” (6%), or another gender (3%). TGM were persons assigned female sex at birth and self-identified as “trans men” (100%). Bayesian synthesis of the multiple methods estimated 84 TGW (credible interval 61–110) and 166 TGM (credible interval 124–211) in Bhutan.

Conclusions

Our study documented that TGW and TGM are part of Bhutanese society, with TGW constituting 0.03% of adult women and TGM 0.06% of adult men. Estimates can help advocate for resources and programs to address the health and well-being of these communities.
Promoting positive emotions and instilling concern for the needs of others during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Mesurado Belén , Richaud María Cristina , Vanney Claudia E. , Pastorelli Concetta
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this research is to study the efficacy of the home-based Hero program in promoting positive emotions and prosocial behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 237 12- to 15-year-old adolescents from Argentina. The level of positive emotions and prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends and family in the adolescent intervention group increased through the three evaluation periods. The Hero program was focused on recognizing one’s own emotions and provided an opportunity to reflect on different positive aspects of life, thus allowing a change in perspective related to immediate negative events. Moreover, the program provided an opportunity to change adolescents’ perspective from personal worries to concerns about others, including friends, family members, and even strangers in need.
Taking the chance!–Interindividual differences in rule-breaking
Authors: Cubillos-Pinilla Leidy , Emmerling Franziska
Published: October 2022

While some individuals tend to follow norms, others, in the face of tempting but forbidden options, tend to commit rule-breaking when this action is beneficial for themselves. Previous studies have neglected such interindividual differences in rule-breaking. The present study fills this gap by investigating cognitive characteristics of individuals who commit spontaneous deliberative rule-breaking (rule-breakers) versus rule-followers. We developed a computerised task, in which 133 participants were incentivised to sometimes violate set rules which would–if followed–lead to a loss. While 52% of participants tended to break rules to obtain a benefit, 48% tended to follow rules even if this behaviour led to loss. Although rule-breakers experienced significantly more cognitive conflict (measured via response times and mouse movement trajectories) than rule-followers, they also obtained higher payoffs. In rule-breakers, cognitive conflict was more pronounced when violating the rules than when following them, and mainly during action planning. This conflict increased with frequent, recurrent, and early rule-breaking. Our results were in line with the Decision-Implementation-Mandatory switch-Inhibition model and thus extend the application of this model to the interindividual differences in rule-breaking. Furthermore, personality traits such as extroversion, disagreeableness, risk propensity, high impulsiveness seem to play a role in the appreciation of behaviours and cognitive characteristics of rule-followers and rule-breakers. This study opens the path towards the understanding of the cognitive characteristics of the interindividual differences in responses towards rules, and especially in spontaneous deliberative rule-breaking.
A quantitative exploration of Queer-spectrum students’ experiences in introductory undergraduate mathematics courses
Authors: Voigt Matthew
Published: October 2022

Research into the experiences of students in mathematics with a marginalized sexual identity has remained largely underexplored, relegating these experiences and individuals to remain invisible. In this study, we leverage Queer Theory to address this gap in research by reporting on the experiences of Queer-spectrum undergraduate students (n= 2,454) enrolled in introductory mathematics courses (Precalculus, Calculus 1, and Calculus 2) across the United States. Drawing on student data (n= 24,327) from the Student Post-Secondary Instructional Practices Survey, we examine reported outcomes of math learning experiences and access to learning environments. Overall, within introductory math courses, sexual identity had a significant relationship with accessing learning environments and mathematical learning experiences. Asexual students were among those that reported higher levels of interactions with peers and instructors, a greater sense of community & participation, positive math affect, and were more likely to access learning environments external to the course yet anticipated receiving a lower course grade when compared to straight students. Bisexual students reported lower levels of interactions with instructors, a diminished sense of community & participation, math engagement, positive math affect, and were less likely to access learning environments compared to straight students. These findings suggest that Queer-spectrum students experience mathematical learning in a different manner than their straight peers and in relation to other Queer spectrum identities. Queer-spectrum students with a sexualized identity perceive that mathematics environments are not normative places to be a part of the community, resulting in negative dispositions, reduced interactions, and lower academic success. The impact of sexual identity, although small, contributes to negative indicators of positive mathematical experiences and suggests that the normative discourses in mathematics that are identity neutral, heteronormative, and aligned with binary thinking are differentially impacting Queer-spectrum students.
Sustainability through a gender lens: The extent to which research on UN Sustainable Development Goals includes sex and gender consideration
Authors: Herbert Rachel , Falk-Krzesinski Holly J. , James Kristy , Plume Andrew
Published: October 2022

Through efforts of the Gender Summits and UN Women, it is evident that all United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets must be viewed from a gender perspective to ensure that the outcomes benefit women and men equally. Our research focuses on the extent to which sex and gender topics are explicitly covered in research related to the SDGs. Expanding on previous studies, we have developed an approach to detect and visualize the volume and proportion of research publications that include explicit mention of sex and gender terms. The approach visualizes the topical coverage of the publications in the corpus of each SDG as a term map, and overlays that view with the proportion of the publications associated with sex and gender topics. We show that attention to sex and gender topics is uneven across the SDGs, and that even where overlap between an SDG and consideration of sex and gender is high, significant topical areas of relevance to the SDG have little explicit connection with sex and gender. This study lays the groundwork for the evidence-based development of a roadmap toward greater integration of sex and gender across all SDGs as well as monitoring integration progress over time.
Mixed kernel SVR addressing Parkinson’s progression from voice features
Authors: Bárcenas Roberto , Fuentes-García Ruth , Naranjo Lizbeth
Published: October 2022

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with multiple motor and non-motor characteristics. PD patients commonly face vocal impairments during the early stages of the disease. In this article, the aim is to explain the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) as a measure of the progression of Parkinson’s disease using a set of covariates obtained from voice signals. In particular, a Support Vector Regression (SVR) model based on a combination of kernel functions is introduced. Theoretically, this proposal, that relies on a mixed kernel (global and local) produces an admissible kernel function. The optimal fitting was obtained for the combination given by the product of radial and polynomial basis. Important results are the non-linear relationships inferred from the features to the response, as well as a considerable improvement in prediction performance metrics, when compared to other learning approaches. Furthermore, with knowledge on factors such as age and gender, it is possible to describe the dynamics of patients’ UPDRS from the data collected during their monitoring. In summary, these advances could expand learning processes and intelligent systems to assist in monitoring the evolution of Parkinson’s disease.
Exploring the feasibility of technological visuo-cognitive training in Parkinson’s: Study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
Authors: Das Julia , Morris Rosie , Barry Gill , Vitorio Rodrigo , Oman Paul , McDonald Claire , Walker Richard , Stuart Samuel
Published: October 2022

Visual and cognitive dysfunction are common in Parkinson’s disease and relate to balance and gait impairment, as well as increased falls risk and reduced quality of life. Vision and cognition are interrelated (termed visuo-cognition) which makes intervention complex in people with Parkinson’s (PwP). Non-pharmacological interventions for visuo-cognitive deficits are possible with modern technology, such as combined mobile applications and stroboscopic glasses, but evidence for their effectiveness in PwP is lacking. We aim to investigate whether technological visuo-cognitive training (TVT) can improve visuo-cognitive function in PwP. We will use a parallel group randomised controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of TVT versus standard care in PwP. Forty PwP who meet our inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to one of two visuo-cognitive training interventions. Both interventions will be carried out by a qualified physiotherapist in participants own homes (1-hour sessions, twice a week, for 4 weeks). Outcome measures will be assessed on anti-parkinsonian medication at baseline and at the end of the 4-week intervention. Feasibility of the TVT intervention will be assessed in relation to safety and acceptability of the technological intervention, compliance and adherence to the intervention and usability of equipment in participants homes. Additionally, semi structured interviews will be conducted to explore participants’ experience of the technology. Exploratory efficacy outcomes will include change in visual attention measured using the Trail Making Test as well as changes in balance, gait, quality of life, fear of falling and levels of activity. This pilot study will focus on the feasibility and acceptability of TVT in PwP and provide preliminary data to support the design of a larger, multi-centre randomised controlled trial. This trial is registered at isrctn.com (ISRCTN46164906).
Medieval and early modern diets in the Polack region of Belarus: A stable isotope perspective
Authors: Haponava Vera , Kots Aliaksei , Lucas Mary , Both Max , Roberts Patrick
Published: October 2022

In western and north-western Europe there has been a growing focus on exploring how major economic, political, and social changes during the Medieval period impacted the lived experience of different populations and sectors of society. Stable isotope analysis has proven particularly powerful in this regard, providing direct insights into the long-term diets of individuals and communities. Despite experiencing similarly dramatic social reconfigurations and changes, eastern Europe has, however, received far less attention in this regard. The territory of Belarus has, especially, so far remained a relative blank spot on the bioarchaeological map of Europe, though cities such as Polack emerged rapidly as key nodes within a growing economic and religious network. To gain direct insight into the diets of inhabitants of the Polack region of Belarus in the 11-18th centuries, we applied stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to bone and dentine collagen from human (n = 143) and animal (n = 105) individuals from the city of Polack and surrounding rural sites. Results indicate a diet based on C3 terrestrial resources, which did not differ between sexes and showed limited variation over time. Contrary to expectations, it appears that animal products were commonly consumed by rural dwellers, but no significant reliance on fish resources or millet consumption is found. In contrast to examples from western Europe, we argue that the diets in the city and the surrounding villages remained broadly similar for the majority of the population, and similar to commoners analysed in Poland and Lithuania, perhaps suggestive of slightly different economic changes operating in this part of the Medieval world.