bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Label MambaOut for Quality Assessment of Low-Field Pediatric Brain MR Images
Authors: Zhu Yueyue , Jiang Haotian , Cai Rongqing , Chen Geng
Published: February 2025

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can be utilized to study the structure of pediatric brains non-invasively. In practice, low-field MRI scanners are widely adopted for pediatric brain imaging. However, the corresponding acquired MRI data usually suffers from severe artifacts, such as noise and motion. Therefore, an effective Quality Assessment (QA) method is essential. To this end, we design a Multi-Label MambaOut (MLMambaOut) model for the low-field pediatric brain MRI QA challenge. Specifically, we view this challenge as a multi-label classification task, utilizing four stages of gated convolution neural network blocks and ML-Decoder to finish the classification with class balance loss. Furthermore, we explore the performance of Mamba and some advanced models for this challenge. We performed extensive experiments on the challenge data, which is low-field and corrupted with seven kinds of artifacts. The results show that our MLMambaOut achieves superior classification results compared with other methods.
Theorising a Gender-Just Political Citizenship in Deeply Divided Transitional Societies
Authors: Eitrem Holmgren Linda
Published: February 2025

This chapter explores how citizenship, nationalism and gender intersect, specifically in deeply divided transitional societies. It discusses how these intersections impact women’s political citizenship and public participation with the aim of defining what a gender-just political citizenship entails. This chapter thus provides a theoretical framework that addresses gendered political citizenship in ethno-nationalist societies and explores how gender equality is affected by transitions from war to peace; how this can open space for renegotiating citizenship but also cause a backlash for women’s rights. The theories of agonistic peace and transversal politics are studied, especially in terms of their potential for creating space for inclusive dialogue and political activism in deeply divided societies. This chapter then theorises how women’s grassroots cross-community activities could inform the conceptualisation of citizenship so that it recognises, validates and encourages women’s political participation. Transversalism is utilised to imagine a gender-just citizenship that builds on intersectionality, multi-sited participation and facilitates coalitions across difference.
Gender, Citizen Participation and Women’s Political Activity in Post-Agreement Northern Ireland
Authors: Eitrem Holmgren Linda
Published: February 2025

This chapter analyses women’s political identities and public participation in Northern Ireland since the 1998 peace agreement. It discusses grassroots, party-political and legislative notions of citizen participation and how women participate in formal political life. Northern Ireland’s ethno-nationally based consociational structures and the barriers they present to women’s participation and the advancement of gender equality are also explored. The analysis addresses different manifestations of women’s public, political participation, filtered through aspects such as ethno-nationalist background, level of political activity and gender norms. The chapter also discusses the potential for and obstacles to women’s descriptive and substantive political representation in the formal political system. Overall, this chapter explores indications of progress, standstill or backlash in terms of women’s right to participate in public, political life in Northern Ireland since 1998.
An evaluation of spirooxindoles as blocking agents of SARS-CoV-2 spike/ACE2 interaction: synthesis, biological evaluation and computational analysis
Authors: Ehinak Albert Enama , Lobe Maloba M. M. , Eni Donatus B. , Simoben Conrad V. , Tietjen Ian , Mbenga Tjegbe Mathieu J. , Cassel Joel , Salvino Joseph M. , Montaner Luis J. , Sippl Wolfgang , Efange Simon M. N. , Ntie-Kang Fidele
Published: February 2025

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has gained significant public health attention owing to its devastating effects on lives and livelihoods worldwide. Due to difficult access to vaccines in many developing countries and the inefficiency of vaccines in providing complete protection even with fully vaccinated persons, there remains the need for the development of novel drugs to combat the disease. This study describes the in vitro activity of a library of fifty-five spiro-fused tetrahydroisoquinoline–oxindole hybrids (spirooxindoles) as potential blocking agents of the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, essential for viral transmission. The synthesis was conducted by the Pictet-Spengler condensation of phenethylamine and isatin derivatives, while the screening against spike-ACE2 interaction was done using our previously described AlphaScreen fluorescent assay. The in vitro screening identified compound (11j) as the most active, showing a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 3.6 μM against SARS-CoV-2 spike/ACE2 interaction. Structure-activity relationships explained via molecular docking studies and the computation of binding free energy of each compound with respect to the spike/ACE2 protein-protein interaction showed that the most active compound possesses a bulky naphthyl group, which addresses voluminous hydrophobic regions of the ACE2 binding site and interacts with the hydrophobic residues of the target. Therefore, these compounds could be potentially useful in searching for SARS-CoV-2 spike/ACE2 interaction blocking agents.
The distribution of lateral rib fractures: a validation and further development of the AO/OTA classification system in patients with fractures at the rib shaft
Authors: Groh Johannes , Kern Florian , Krause Johannes , Perl Mario , Schulz-Drost Stefan
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Rib fractures are prevalent and clinically significant injuries, often associated with thoracic trauma. Despite their frequency, the precise distribution and characteristics of rib shaft fractures remain underexplored. This study investigates the distribution, location, and classification of lateral rib fractures using the AO/OTA classification, focusing on fracture patterns and the relationship to neighbored ribs.

Methods

The study retrospectively analyzed 116 patients with 617 isolated rib fractures treated at a Level 1 trauma center over seven years. Using CT scans, fractures between the tubercle and osteochondral junction of the rib shaft were examined. Fracture type, dislocation, and location were categorized according to AO standards. The 116 patients underwent detailed statistical analysis to identify distribution patterns and correlations between fracture characteristics.

Results

The fractures predominantly occurred between the fifth and seventh ribs, with a focus in the anterolateral to lateral region (40°–69°). Type A fractures were more anteriorly located, while type B fractures and dislocations shifted posteriorly. A regression analysis confirmed the significance of fracture type and dislocation in determining fracture position. Moreover, fractures showed clustering patterns, with adjacent ribs more likely to be injured. A caudal shift in fracture density and localization from the cranial to the caudal thorax was also observed.

Discussion and conclusion

The findings validate the AO/OTA classification for rib fractures, highlighting the need for refined subsegmental divisions within the rib shaft for more precise clinical application. The study underscores the relationship between fracture location, type, and associated injuries, advocating for multicenter studies and a comprehensive classification system for thoracic trauma. This could enhance our understanding of injury patterns and inform treatment strategies.
Nonlinear estimation in turbulent channel flows
Authors: Ding Jitong , Illingworth Simon J.
Published: February 2025

We design a nonlinear estimator for channel flows at

$$Re_{\tau }=180$$

R

e
τ

=
180

and 590. The nonlinear estimator uses a linear estimator structure based on the linearised Navier–Stokes equations and explicitly calculates the nonlinear forcing from the estimated velocities in physical space. The goal is to use limited velocity measurements to predict the velocity field at other locations. We first use the velocities at one wall-normal height to estimate the velocities at other wall-normal heights. The estimation performance is compared among the nonlinear estimator, the linear estimator and the linear estimator augmented with eddy viscosity. At

$$Re_{\tau }=180$$

R

e
τ

=
180

, the nonlinear estimator and the linear estimator augmented with eddy viscosity outperform the linear estimator in terms of estimating the velocity magnitudes, structures and energy transfer (production, dissipation and turbulent transport) across the channel height. The limitations of using measurement data at one wall-normal height are discussed. At

$$Re_{\tau }=590$$

R

e
τ

=
590

, the nonlinear estimator does not work well with only one measurement plane, whereas the linear estimator augmented with eddy viscosity performs well. The performance of the nonlinear estimator and the linear estimator augmented with eddy viscosity at

$$Re_{\tau }=590$$

R

e
τ

=
590

is significantly enhanced by providing multiple measurement planes.
Horn maps of semi-parabolic Hénon maps
Authors: Astorg Matthieu , Bianchi Fabrizio
Published: February 2025

We prove that horn maps associated to quadratic semi-parabolic fixed points of Hénon maps, first introduced by Bedford, Smillie, and Ueda, satisfy a weak form of the Ahlfors island property. As a consequence, two natural definitions of their Julia set (the non-normality locus of the family of iterates and the closure of the set of the repelling periodic points) coincide. As another consequence, we also prove that there exist small perturbations of semi-parabolic Hénon maps for which the Hausdorff dimension of the forward Julia set

$$J^+$$

J
+

is arbitrarily close to 4.
On partial abelianization of framed local systems
Authors: Kineider Clarence , Rogozinnikov Eugen
Published: February 2025

Gaiotto, Moore and Neitzke introduced spectral networks to understand the framed G-local systems over punctured surfaces for G a split Lie group via a procedure called abelianization. We generalize this construction to groups G of the form

$${{\,\textrm{GL}\,}}_2(A)$$

GL

2

(
A
)

, where A is a unital associative ring, and to some of its subgroups. This relies on a precise analysis of the two-fold ramified coverings associated with spectral networks and triangulations and on a matrix reinterpretation of their path lifting rules; along the way we provide another proof of the Laurent phenomenon brought to light by Berenstein and Retakh. The partial abelianization enables us to gives parametrizations of the moduli spaces of decorated G-local systems and of framed G-local systems over punctured surfaces. For

$$(A, \sigma )$$

(
A
,
σ
)

a Hermitian involutive

$${\mathbb {R}}$$

R

-algebra the group

$$G={{\,\textrm{Sp}\,}}_2(A, \sigma )$$

G
=

Sp

2

(
A
,
σ
)

is a classical Hermitian Lie group of tube type, and we are able to identify and parametrize the moduli space of maximal framed G-local systems.
A pictorial essay on cross-sectional imaging findings of pathologies in the second (D2) segment of the duodenum in adults
Authors: Basara Akin Isil , Oguzturk Muhammed Enes , Kandemir Bengisu , Mentes Nihal Deniz , Altay Canan
Published: February 2025

The duodenum, the initial segment of the small intestine, is divided into four parts: the superior (D1), descending (second) (D2), horizontal (D3), and ascending (D4) segments. Despite its short length, the descending part (D2 segment) holds clinical significance due to its anatomical proximity to structures such as the gallbladder, right kidney, colon, and pancreas. This anatomical localization and contiguity give rise to various pathologies, including congenital, inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, vascular, and traumatic conditions. Cross-sectional imaging modalities play a pivotal role in evaluating pathologies of the second (D2) segment of the duodenum. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of these pathologies and delineate their imaging characteristics.
A randomized controlled trial of conventional GVHD prophylaxis with or without teprenone for the prevention of severe acute GVHD
Authors: Kitamura Wataru , Fujii Keiko , Tsuge Mitsuru , Mitsuhashi Toshiharu , Kobayashi Hiroki , Kamoi Chihiro , Yamamoto Akira , Kondo Takumi , Seike Keisuke , Fujiwara Hideaki , Asada Noboru , Ennishi Daisuke , Matsuoka Ken-ichi , Fujii Nobuharu , Maeda Yoshinobu
Published: February 2025

Therapies that effectively suppress graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without compromising graft-versus-leukemia/lymphoma (GVL) effects is important in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for hematopoietic malignancies. Geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) is a main component of teprenone, a gastric mucosal protectant commonly used in clinical practice. In preclinical models, GGA suppresses proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which are associated with GVHD as well as induces thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1), which suppresses GVHD while maintaining GVL effects. Here, we investigated whether the addition of teprenone to standard GVHD prophylaxis could reduce the cumulative incidence of severe acute GVHD (aGVHD) without attenuating GVL effects. This open-label, randomized clinical trial enrolled 40 patients (21 control and 19 teprenone group) who received allo-HSCT between May 2022 and February 2023 in our institution. Patients in the teprenone group received 50 mg of teprenone orally thrice daily for 21 days from the initiation of the conditioning regimen. The cumulative incidence of severe aGVHD by day 100 after allo-HSCT was not significantly different in the two groups (27.9 vs. 16.1%, p = 0.25). The exploratory studies revealed no obvious changes in Trx-1 levels, but the alternations from baseline in IL-1β and TNF-α levels at day 28 after allo-HSCT tended to be lower in the teprenone group. In conclusion, we could not demonstrate that teprenone significantly prevented the development of severe aGVHD. Discrepancy with preclinical model suggests that appropriate dose of teprenone may be necessary to induce the expression of antioxidant enzymes that suppress severe aGVHD. Clinical Trial Registration number:jRCTs 061210072.
Posterior vault encephaloceles: from antenatal management to post-surgical follow-up—a cooperative study
Authors: Pasquali Claudia , Thomale Urlich , Szathamri Alexandru , Beuriat Pier Aurelien , Pennacchietti Valentina , Karnoub Mélodie Anne , Vinchon Matthieu , Di Rocco Federico
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Encephalocele is a herniation of intracranial structures associated with a skull anomaly. In Western countries, posterior encephaloceles are more common than anterior encephaloceles and may occur in the parietal (parietal encephalocele, PE) or occipital (occipital encephalocele, OE) region. Although those entities are relatively common in pediatric neurosurgery, large clinical series are scarce, and their clinical outcomes are poorly documented in the literature.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiological findings, post-operative long-term outcomes of consecutive patients diagnosed with posterior encephaloceles from 2010 to 2021 in 3 centers: Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant (Lyon, France); Hôpital Roger Salengro (Lille, France); and Charité Universitätsmedizin (Berlin, Germany).

Results

We collected 79 observations, 46 PEs and 33 OEs. Cerebral anomalies were more common in OEs than PEs (15/33, 45% vs 7/46, 15%, p = 0.001). Vascular anomalies were more common in PEs than OEs (41/46, 88% vs 5/33, 15%). All children underwent a surgical correction of the malformation. CSF disorders requiring surgical management were present in 4/33 OEs and 4/46 PEs. During the mean follow-up of 33 months (12–160 months), 3 OEs patients died, and various degrees of psychomotor impairment were found in both entities: 18/33 (54%) OEs and 8/46 (17%) PEs (p = 0.005); however, in most cases of PE, developmental delay was mild.

Conclusions

The clinical evolution in OEs is significantly more unfavorable than in PEs. However, even in case of PEs, psychomotor impairments are not uncommon. The presence of herniated cerebral tissue, hydrocephalus, and syndromic context increase the risk of developmental delay.
Capacity lower bound for the Ising perceptron
Authors: Ding Jian , Sun Nike
Published: February 2025

We consider the Ising perceptron with gaussian disorder, which is equivalent to the discrete cube

$$\{-1,+1\}^N$$

{
-
1
,
+
1
}

N

intersected by M random half-spaces. The perceptron’s capacity is the largest integer

$$M_N$$

M
N

for which the intersection is nonempty. It is conjectured by Krauth and Mézard (1989) that the (random) ratio

$$M_N/N$$

M
N

/
N

converges in probability to an explicit constant

$$\alpha _\star \doteq 0.83$$

α
⋆

≐
0.83

. Kim and Roche (1998) proved the existence of a positive constant

$$\gamma $$

γ

such that

$$\gamma \leqslant M_N/N \leqslant 1-\gamma $$

γ
⩽

M
N

/
N
⩽
1
-
γ

with high probability; see also Talagrand (1999). In this paper we show that the Krauth–Mézard conjecture

$$\alpha _\star $$

α
⋆

is a lower bound with positive probability, under the condition that an explicit univariate function

$$\mathscr {S}_\star (\lambda )$$

S
⋆

(
λ
)

is maximized at

$$\lambda =0$$

λ
=
0

. Our proof is an application of the second moment method to a certain slice of perceptron configurations, as selected by the so-called TAP (Thouless, Anderson, and Palmer, 1977) or AMP (approximate message passing) iteration, whose scaling limit has been characterized by Bayati and Montanari (2011) and Bolthausen (2012).
Accelerating FE-based gear mesh calculations in dynamic multi-body simulations with AI
Authors: Willecke Marius , Westphal Christian , Brecher Christian
Published: February 2025

Dynamic multi-body simulation models of the entire system are particularly important for the development and analysis of gearboxes. With the help of these models, the operational behavior of the gearbox can be examined in detail, without having to produce a prototype. This makes it possible to investigate the influence of various factors, such as misalignments, deformations of components or the usage of different structural components, on the operational behavior of the gearbox. The modelling of the gear mesh is particularly relevant in order to be able to model the behavior of the gearbox realistically. If the gear mesh should be calculated with an enhanced level of detail, numerical FE-based tooth contact analyses are used for each integration step of the dynamic model. These calculate the forces and torques in all spatial directions on the gears based on translational and rotational positions of the gears in contact. However, the disadvantage of this highly precise method is the longer calculation time that results from solving the FE-based tooth contact for each calculation step and prevents efficient use in product development. To improve the calculation time of the model, an AI model, e.g. a neural network, will be used instead of the time-consuming FE-based tooth contact calculation. The neural network reduces the calculation time of the dynamic multi-body model from several hours to just a few minutes. This enables the efficient use of highly accurate gear modelling in dynamic multi-body simulation. The development is carried out as User Force in the simulation software Simpack.
Modeling and simulation of three-person team cooperation considering mutual beliefs
Authors: Naoki Okabe , Taro Kanno , Sumie Cho , Kazuo Furuta , Haruka Yoshida , Daisuke Karikawa , Kohei Nonose , Satoru Inoue
Published: February 2025

Research on team has been conducted for many years because a team is a basic functional unit in sociotechnical systems. A major approach used in team research is an empirical approach, such as analysis of verbal and behavioral data obtained by field observations or laboratory experiments. This has advanced understanding of various factors that contribute to team performance. A cognitive process behind team interaction is one of the key factors, and its understanding has also progressed based mainly on empirical approaches; however, this approach requires a lot of effort and is limited in terms of the number of samples of experimental data and team contexts, so it is impossible to avoid certain limitations in terms of the research efficiency and the reliability and generality of the findings. In contrast, agent-based simulation can be repeatedly executed under various conditions with minimal effort, and is therefore a useful as an effective complementary approach to the empirical approach. However, existing agent-based simulations only partially or simplistically describe the cognitive processes and are therefore still insufficient to promote its research. The present study developed a simulation model of the cognitive processes that endogenously generate interactions with other agents and the environment to achieve a common goal. This model is structured based on a theoretical model of team cognition and simulates the cognitive process of how agents generate interactions. The present study applied the developed model to a cooperative diagnosis task of car malfunctions and conducted simulations to observe how the cognitive processes behind team interactions affect the information acquisition and sharing processes for building team situation awareness. The simulation results showed that mutual beliefs, main components of the model of team cognition driving the cognitive processes behind team interactions, could generally improve the efficiency and stability for building team situation awareness in the tested scenarios but could sometimes have a negative effect. We believe that this study provides a foundation for simulation studies on cognitive processes behind team interactions and can contribute to the advancement of human factor studies on team cooperation.
Elution suppression effect of radioactive cesium from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash using 10-[(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy]-decanoic acid
Authors: Kaseda Taiga , Ogawa Narihito , Koike Yuya
Published: February 2025

We studied the suppression of radioactive Cs elution from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash using 10-[(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy]-decanoic acid. The synthesized decanoic acid derivative coated on MSWI fly ash containing less than 8000 Bq kg−1 of radioactive Cs, and the amount of radioactive Cs eluted into pure water was measured by the Japanese Leaching Test No. 13. The elution rate of 137Cs from raw fly ash was normalized to 100%, and the relative elution rate of 137Cs using 10-[(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy]-decanoic acid was 25.3%. The synthesized carboxylic acid showed a high elution suppression effect on 137Cs in MSWI fly ash. SEM revealed that the water repellent layer was maintained on the MSWI fly ash treated with carboxylic acid synthesized around JLT-13. In addition, the contact angle measurement showed that the surface of the MSWI fly ash treated with the synthesized carboxylic acid for water repellency was hydrophobic. These results indicate that the surface of the MSWI fly ash was changed by applying a water repellent treatment with the synthesized carboxylic acid.
Developmental time, potential food sources and predatory behaviour of the invasive pest species Thrips parvispinus
Authors: Le Hesran Sophie , Sewkaransing Denise , Kuoh Henri Essombé , Messelink Gerben J.
Published: February 2025

Biological control of invasive thrips is a challenge in many agricultural systems, partly because of a lack of knowledge about their life cycle and interactions with their environment. Thrips parvispinus Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an invasive species causing damage to many crops worldwide and on which our knowledge is still limited. We studied the developmental time of T. parvispinus under three different fluctuating temperature regimes, its predatory behaviour against the eggs of a phytoseiid predatory mite and the effect of different food sources on its oviposition rate. We showed that T. parvispinus adult females and L2 larvae can feed on a limited number of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) eggs and that their predatory behaviour is significantly affected by the nutritional quality of the host plant and the presence of pollen. Additionally, the oviposition rate of T. parvispinus females over six days was not positively affected by the presence of Typha angustifolia pollen, Artemia cysts or prey mites on bean leaves. Finally, we showed that the developmental time of T. parvispinus is relatively fast and comparable to that of the invasive thrips species Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Our study provides further insight into the feeding behaviour of T. parvispinus as an omnivorous pest species and its interactions with its predators. Thrips parvispinus is unlikely to have a negative effect on phytoseiid mite populations and the use of supplementary food to support predatory mites in the crop does not seem to pose a risk of significantly increasing T. parvispinus populations.
Hybrid Multilevel Detection of Mobile Devices Malware Under Concept Drift
Authors: Augello Andrea , De Paola Alessandra , Lo Re Giuseppe
Published: February 2025

Malwares are a major threat to the security of mobile devices, and Machine Learning (ML) is a widespread approach to automatically detect them. However, running ML analysis pipelines can be excessively burdensome for energy-constrained mobile devices. On the other hand, completely off-loading all the analysis to a remote server can introduce unacceptable communication overheads and delays in the detection process. In this paper, we propose a multilevel approach for malware detection on mobile devices that combines a lightweight local analysis of static features with a more computationally expensive remote analysis of dynamic features, through the adoption of ML methods. However, the effectiveness of automatic malware detection systems based on ML is often limited by unforeseen variations in the statistical characteristics of the observed data. This phenomenon, known as concept drift, can lead to a degradation of the performance of ML models over time. The proposed malware detection system is equipped with self-evaluation capabilities, enabling it to detect the occurrence of periods when its predictions become unreliable due to concept drift so that appropriate response strategies can be activated. In particular, when such critical events occur, the self-evaluation agent triggers the execution of an additional layer of analysis, hosted by a remote server, which allows the system to react to the unexpected reduction in its detection capabilities. The computational cost of the detection process is minimized by limiting the remote analysis to only those samples for which the analysis performed on-board the mobile device is likely to incorrectly classify the app.
Plasma-Assisted Non-Oxidative Coupling of Methane: Effects of Bead Size Distribution and Operating Pressure in a Co-axial DBD
Authors: Larsen T. S. , Andersen J. A. , Christensen J. M. , Fateev A. , Østberg M. , Morais E. , Bogaerts A. , Jensen A. D.
Published: February 2025

A co-axial packed-bed DBD reactor was used to conduct plasma-assisted non-oxidative coupling of methane (NOCM) utilizing glass beads as packing material at a fixed plasma power of 30 W. The influence on NOCM of five different bead size distributions (2000–5000 µm, 900–1100 µm, 425–600 µm, 212–300 µm, 150–212 µm) and operating pressure (1.2 bar, 1.7 bar) was investigated. The observed products consist of a mixture of saturated and unsaturated C2–C5 hydrocarbons. The conversion of methane decreased from 8.5 to 3.7% with decreasing bead size, while the selectivity towards unsaturated C2 compounds increased from 16 to 50% with decreasing bead size. These reactor performance variations are associated with the transitional plasma dynamics and degree of partial discharging, as determined by characterization of non-ideal charge–voltage plots for the five tested glass bead sizes.
Exact score and information matrix for panel hidden semi-Markov models
Authors: Farcomeni Alessio
Published: February 2025

We describe a general multivariate hidden semi-Markov model for time series and panel data. The model entails multiple response variables arising from exponential families conditionally on covariates and a discrete time-varying latent variable. The latter is modeled through transition probabilities and sojourn time distributions. We derive efficient forward recursions to exactly compute the score and information matrix. In a simulation study, we show the validity of our inferential approach for parameter and standard error estimation. The approach is also illustrated on an original real data example on sales of four arm types from member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to non-member countries in the period 2002–2022.
Evaluation of the landscape aesthetic experiences of olive groves and their contributions to human wellbeing: a case study from Akdeniz protected area in Northern Cyprus
Authors: Ciftcioglu Gulay Cetinkaya
Published: February 2025

Olive groves have played a crucial role in the sustainable development of the Mediterranean region throughout history. Even though they provide diverse benefits (e.g., ecological and economic) for human wellbeing (HWB), little is known about the landscape aesthetic experiences that olive groves offer and how they contribute to the different aspects of HWB. Such an oversight in the literature was the main source of motivation for the present study. To this end, the landscape aesthetic experiences of olive groves and their contributions to HWB among four distinct cultural groups were evaluated in Akdeniz Protected Area of Northern Cyprus by identifying the typologies for the landscape aesthetic experiences of olive groves and HWB, employing a preference-based questionnaire (on a 1–5-rating scale), and focus group discussions. The results showed that the respondents mostly appreciate the landscape aesthetic experience of olive groves for their ‘uniqueness’ (3.93 points), ‘olive-related products’ (3.90 points), and ‘naturalness’ (3.85 points). The total average mean score was estimated to be low, with 2.98 points. The landscape aesthetic experiences of olive groves mostly contribute to the ‘food’ (4.81 points), ‘physical health’ (4.68 points), ‘access to clean air’ (4.48 points), and ‘mental health’ (4.43 points) components of HWB. The overall contribution was estimated to be medium with 3.45 points. Culture was identified as the factor that affects the landscape aesthetic experiences of olive groves and their contributions to HWB. Consequently, landscape aesthetic experience should be used as a standard tool in landscape planning, management, and associated policies to enhance the protection of the olive groves, increase community awareness regarding the effective management of their lands and resources, and influence their attitudes and behaviors.
Sharp Lp -Regular Nonlocal Differential Operators and Applications
Authors: Shakhmurov Veli B. , Shahmurov Rishad
Published: February 2025

The maximal regularity properties of a fractional anisotropic elliptic equation are investigated. The equation involves an abstract linear operator

$$A$$

A

in Fourier type Banach space

$$E$$

E

and convolution terms. We find the sufficient conditions that guarantee the separability of this problems in

$$E$$

E

-valued weighted

$${L}_{p}$$

L
p

spaces. We prove that an anisotropic elliptic operator generated by this problem is sectorial and generates an analytic semigroup. In application, the maximal regularity properties of the Cauchy problem for degenerate abstract anisotropic parabolic equation and the boundary value problem for anisotropic elliptic convolution equation are obtained in mixed

$${L}_{\mathbf{p}}$$

L
p

norms.
Pareto-optimal workforce scheduling with worker skills and preferences
Authors: İşeri Ali , Güner Hatice , Güner Ali Rıza
Published: February 2025

This paper addresses employee scheduling in service operations, considering various skill and skill levels and the fluctuating customer demand throughout the day and week. Employee shift and day-off preferences are also considered to enhance morale. We propose a two-stage integer programming model. In the first stage, the model optimizes the number of employees required for each shift period, ensuring uniform distribution of overstaffing to improve customer service. A Pareto frontier approach is applied between the two stages, offering decision-makers a set of non-dominated solutions that balance overstaffing and understaffing. The second stage uses the selected Pareto-optimal solution to assign shifts and day-offs to employees, incorporating their skills, preferences, and fairness considerations. Our model implicitly includes shifts and breaks, reducing decision variables and computational time. Using real data from a dining restaurant chain, we validate the model’s effectiveness in enhancing customer service and reducing labor costs by 12.3% compared to manual scheduling. Furthermore, productivity and employee satisfaction improve by considering individual skills and preferences.
Optimization of protein recovery from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) head and backbone by response surface methodology and characterization of functional properties and nutritional value
Authors: Pap Nora , Mäkinen Sari , Nurmi Markus , Marnila Pertti , Hopia Anu , Rotola-Pukkila Minna , Sandell Mari , Mäkinen Jarkko , Kankaanpää Santeri , Pihlanto Anne
Published: February 2025

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) head and backbone by-products were hydrolysed using non-commercial protease enzyme (ERM 1) to produce protein. Response surface methodology was used to optimise conditions, including hydrolysis time, hydromodule and enzyme–substrate (E:S) ratio for maximum protein recovery. Highest protein recovery was obtained after 4 h hydrolysis, 1 L/kg hydromodule, and 0.39% of E:S ratio for the salmon head. Similarly, 3.75 h of hydrolysis time, 2.67 L/kg of hydromodule and 0.499% of E:S were found optimal for the salmon backbone. Total amino acid (TAA) composition revealed the presence of all essential amino acids in both hydrolysates. The sum of 16 TAAs was approximately both in salmon head and backbone samples 70 g/100 g, while FAAs were much higher in salmon head (13.4 g/100 g) then in the salmon backbone (8.8 g/100 g). The hydrolysates prevented the growth of E. coli K-12, but no significant effect on Listeria innocua (ATTC 33090) growth was seen. Fish hydrolysates showed nitrogen solubility indices above 90% at pH 5–8, with one exception of the salmon head hydrolysate at pH 5 with a value of 67.8%. Samples formed gels at 5 and 10% protein concentration. Gels were weak compared to gelatine gels.
Hydrogen extraction as a sustainable method for the recovery of phenolic compounds from tea wastes
Authors: Elnasankasim Muhammed Allam , Çiğdem Ayhan , Engin Tunahan , Alwazeer Duried
Published: February 2025

The significant production of tea waste globally raises environmental concerns. Tea waste can be valorized by extracting its phytochemicals. In this study, the recovery of phenolic substances, flavonoids, and antioxidants from the black tea wastes using two types of hydrogen-rich water (HRW): hydrogen bubbling and magnesium-water reaction (Mg water), besides ethanol/water (50/50, % vol), ethanol/Mg water (50/50, % vol), and pure water (control) was investigated. The best extraction yield was obtained for HRW (30.13%). The best levels of phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and antioxidants (DPPH and ABTS) were found for HRW extracts, followed by ethanol/Mg water (50/50). The levels of TPC, TFC, DPPH, and ABTS increased by 193.05, 210.56, 49.21, and 86.60%, and by 59.70, 33.46, 28.66, and 58.25% when HRW and Mg water was used as a solvent instead of pure water, respectively, in the extraction. The maximum levels of phenolic acids (p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid) and flavonoids (rutin and epicatechin) were found in HRW extracts. Hydrogen extraction can be proposed as a sustainable method to extract phenolic substances from agri-food waste.
Soil Carbon Mapping of the Contiguous US Using VNIR Spectra Within A Heterogeneous Spatial Model
Authors: Parker Paul A. , Sansó Bruno
Published: February 2025

The Rapid Carbon Assessment, conducted by the US Department of Agriculture, was implemented in order to obtain a representative sample of soil organic carbon across the contiguous US. In conjunction with a statistical model, the dataset allows for mapping of soil carbon prediction across the US; however, there are two primary challenges to such an effort. First, there exists a large degree of heterogeneity in the data, whereby both the first and second moments of the data generating process seem to vary both spatially and for different land-use categories. Second, the majority of the sampled locations do not actually have laboratory-measured values for soil organic carbon. Rather, visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectra were measured at most locations, which act as a proxy to help predict carbon content. Thus, we develop a heterogeneous model to analyze this data that allows both the mean and the variance to vary as a function of space as well as land-use category, while incorporating VNIR spectra as covariates. After a cross-validation study that establishes the effectiveness of the model, we construct a complete map of soil organic carbon for the contiguous US along with uncertainty quantification.
Integrative analysis of genetic variability and functional traits in lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells via single-cell RNA sequencing, GWAS, bayesian deconvolution, and machine learning
Authors: Gao Chenggen , Wu Jintao , Zhong Fangyan , Yang Xianxin , Liu Hanwen , Lai Junming , Cai Jing , Mao Weimin , Xu Huijuan
Published: February 2025

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, characterized by high genetic and cellular heterogeneity, especially within the tumor microenvironment.

Objective

This study integrates single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using Bayesian deconvolution and machine learning techniques to unravel the genetic and functional complexity of lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells.

Methods

We performed scRNA-seq and GWAS analysis to identify critical cell populations affected by genetic variations. Bayesian deconvolution and machine learning techniques were applied to investigate tumor progression, prognosis, and immune-epithelial cell interactions, particularly focusing on immune checkpoint markers such as PD-L1 and CTLA-4.

Results

Our analysis highlights the importance of genes like SLC2A1, which regulates glucose metabolism and correlates with tumor invasiveness and poor prognosis. Immune-epithelial interactions suggest a suppressive tumor microenvironment, potentially hindering immune responses. Additionally, machine learning models identify core prognostic genes such as F12, GOLM1, and S100P, which are significantly associated with patient survival.

Conclusions

This comprehensive approach provides novel insights into lung adenocarcinoma biology, emphasizing the role of genetic and immune factors in tumor progression. The findings support the development of personalized therapeutic strategies targeting both tumor cells and the immune microenvironment.
Thermal preferences of honey bee drones at different ages, depending on the rearing temperature
Authors: Łopuch Sylwia , Czekońska Krystyna
Published: February 2025

The thermal preferences of honey bee drones change with their age as a result of sexual maturation. However, the factors influencing them are still unknown. For this reason, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of the rearing temperature during the post-capped development of drones on their body mass at eclosion and thermal preferences. Combs with capped brood of drones from three colonies were kept in incubators in changing temperatures from higher to lower (35–33 °C) or from lower to higher (33–35 °C). After emergence, drones were individually weighed. Subsequently, their thermal preferences were tested at the ages of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days. Body mass at eclosion and thermal preferences of drones significantly depended on the rearing temperature and maternal colony. Drones reared in temperatures changing from higher to lower (35–33 °C) were considerably heavier after emergence compared with those reared in temperatures changing from lower to higher (33–35 °C). The thermal preferences of drones also changed with their age. The greatest differences in thermal preferences of drones from both groups (35–33 °C and 33–35 °C) were on the 5th and 15th days of life. These findings indicate that rearing conditions (temperature and colony) influence the body mass at eclosion and thermal preferences of drones.
On the valuative Nagata conjecture
Authors: Galindo Carlos , Monserrat Francisco , Moreno-Ávila Carlos-Jesús , Moyano-Fernández Julio-José
Published: February 2025

We provide several equivalent conditions for a plane divisorial valuation of a smooth projective surface to be minimal with respect to an ample divisor. These conditions involve a valuative Seshadri constant and other global tools of the surface defined by the divisorial valuation. As a consequence, we derive several equivalent statements for the valuative Nagata conjecture and some related results.
Asymptotic limit of the compressible Navier–Stokes system on domains with rough boundaries
Authors: Bhandari Kuntal , Gahn Markus , Nečasová Šárka , Neuss-Radu Maria , Rodríguez-Bellido María Ángeles
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we study the asymptotic behavior of solutions to the compressible Navier–Stokes system considered on a sequence of spatial domains, whose boundaries exhibit fast oscillations with amplitude and characteristic wave length proportional to a small parameter. Imposing the full-slip boundary conditions, we show that in the asymptotic limit the fluid sticks completely to the boundary, provided the oscillations are non-degenerate, meaning not oriented in a single direction.
CO2 storage capacity of coal seams: a screening and geological review of carboniferous coal formations of Kazakhstan
Authors: Asif Mohammad , Junussov Medet , Longinos Sotirios , Hazlett Randy , Satibekova Sandugash
Published: February 2025

The increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration linked to human activity results in global warming by the greenhouse effect. This anthropogenic CO2 may be sequestrated into geological formations, e.g., porous basalts, saline aquifers, depleted oil or gas reservoirs, and unmineable coal seams. Furthermore, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) methods are an acceptable and sustainable technology to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, in which Kazakhstan is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% compared with the 1990 level. Unmineable coal seams are an attractive option among all geostorage solutions, as CO2 sequestration in coal comes with an income stream via enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery. This paper identifies four carboniferous coal formations, namely Karagandy, Teniz-Korzhinkol, Ekibustuz, and Chu coal basins of Kazakhstan, as CO2 geostorage solutions for their unmineable coal seams. The ideal depth of CO2 storage is identified as 800 m to ensure the supercritical state of CO2. However, the Ekibustuz coal basin fails to meet the required depth of 800 m in its unmineable coal seams. The conventional formula for calculating CO2 storage in coal basins has been modified, and a new formula has been proposed for assessing the CO2 storage potential in a coal seam. The CO2 storage capacities of unmineable coal seam of these coal basins are 24.60 Bt, 0.61 Bt, 14.02 Bt, and 5.42 Bt, respectively. The Langmuir volume of the coal fields was calculated using the proximate analysis of coalfields and found to vary between 36.42 and 98.90 m3/ton. This paper is the first to outline CO2 storage potential in Kazakhstani coal basins, albeit with limited data, along with a detailed geological and paleographic review of the carboniferous coalfields of Kazakhstan. A short overview of the CO2-ECBM process was also included in the paper. Instead of any experimental work for CO2 storage, this paper attempts to present the CO2 storage capacity of carboniferous coal formation using the modified version of previously determined formulas for CO2 storage.
An Ultra-Stable, High-Energy and Wide-Temperature-Range Aqueous Alkaline Sodium-Ion Battery with the Microporous C4N/rGO Anode
Authors: Li Mengxiao , Li Rui , Ma Huige , Yang Mingsheng , Dai Yujie , Yu HaiPing , Hao Yuxin , Wang Zhihui , Wang Bei , Hu Mingjun , Yang Jun
Published: February 2025

Common anode materials in aqueous alkaline electrolytes, such as cadmium, metal hydrides and zinc, usually suffer from remarkable biotoxicity, high cost, and serious side reactions. To overcome these problems, we develop a conjugated porous polymer (CPP) in-situ grown on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and Ketjen black (KB), noted as C4N/rGO and C4N/KB respectively, as the alternative anodes. The results show that C4N/rGO electrode delivers a low redox potential (−0.905 V vs. Ag/AgCl), high specific capacity (268.8 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1), ultra-stable and fast sodium ion storage behavior (216 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1) in 2 M NaOH electrolyte. The assembled C4N/rGO//Ni(OH)2 full battery can cycle stably more than 38,000 cycles. Furthermore, by adding a small amount of antifreeze additive dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to adjust the hydrogen bonding network, the low-temperature performance of the electrolyte (0.1 DMSO/2 M NaOH) is significantly improved while hydrogen evolution is inhibited. Consequently, the C4N/rGO//Ni(OH)2 full cell exhibits an energy density of 147.3 Wh Kg−1 and ultra-high cycling stability over a wide temperature range from −70 to 45 °C. This work provides an ultra-stable high-capacity CPP-based anode and antifreeze electrolyte for aqueous alkaline batteries and will facilitate their practical applications under extreme conditions.