bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inoculating native microorganisms improved soil function and altered the microbial composition of a degraded soil
Authors: Dadzie Frederick A. , Moles Angela T. , Erickson Todd E. , Machado de Lima Nathali , Muñoz‐Rojas Miriam
Published: October 2023

Restoration managers inoculate microorganisms to enhance soil function and improve restoration success, but the efficacy of these inoculations in real‐world conditions is still unclear. We conducted a field experiment to test whether applying extruded seed pellets inoculated with native microbes affected soil properties related to ecosystem function in severely degraded mine soil. We found that inoculating with bacteria did not affect soil carbon, metabolic quotient (a measure of microbial stress), or basal respiration, but increased soil nitrogen by 75%, substrate‐induced respiration by 147% and reduced carbon‐to‐nitrogen ratio by 44% compared to the control. This suggests that the bacteria inoculant contained free‐living N fixers that increased the soil N content. Thus, inoculating with bacteria could supplement nitrogen fertilizers in degraded soils during soil restoration. However, we found that inoculating with a mix of bacteria and cyanobacteria did not affect any of the soil properties. This finding is counter to results in laboratory studies, suggesting that field tests are critical for understanding real‐world outcomes of microbial inoculation. Finally, we found that soil microbial composition was changed by the inoculation with a mix of bacteria and cyanobacteria. None of the treatments significantly changed the diversity of soil microbial communities. Our data suggest that microbial inoculation could improve some aspects of ecosystem function and thus provide beneficial effects that might facilitate restoration of degraded sites.
Spatial Temperature and Water Molar Concentration Measurements Using Thermal and Electrostrictive Laser-Induced Grating Spectroscopy During Operation of a Swirl Burner at Pressure
Authors: Weller Lee , Shah Priyav , Giles Anthony , Domenico Francesca De , Morris Steve , Williams Benjamin A. O. , Hochgreb Simone
Published: October 2023

Laser-Induced Grating Spectroscopy (LIGS) was applied in a high-pressure combustion facility. Instantaneous (sub-μs), spatially resolved (within 5 mm) measurements of temperature and molar fractions of water were obtained using thermal and electrostrictive LIGS signals. Temperatures up to 1800 K and water molar fractions between 0.01 and 0.12 were measured. A new analytic approach was developed to extract temperature from the frequencies of the measured signal within the flame brush region, where mixtures contain both burnt and unburnt gases. Mean product temperatures are shown to be 8% lower than the adiabatic temperatures for the nominal equivalence ratio, and 14% higher than measurements made with a thermocouple, uncorrected for radiation losses. This work represents the first application of LIGS to a high-pressure, turbulent swirling flame, opening up the potential for future uses in other real-world applications. Challenges associated with the deployment of the technique are described as are potential measures to overcome these difficulties.
Integrated Design of a Variable Cycle Engine and Aircraft Thermal Management System
Authors: Clark Robert A. , Tai Jimmy , Mavris Dimitri
Published: October 2023

The integrated design of a variable cycle engine (VCE) and an aircraft thermal management system (TMS) is investigated. The integrated system is designed using the multiple design point approach in order to achieve required performance metrics at points other than the cycle design condition. The VCE architecture is a three stream design where the third stream is split off after the fan, exhausting through a separate third-stream nozzle. The primary air stream passes through a low-pressure compressor before splitting into an inner bypass stream and a core stream. The inner streams mix aft of the low-pressure turbine and exhaust through a core nozzle. The variable cycle engine utilizes variable compressor inlet guide vanes, a variable area bypass injector at the core stream mixing plane, and variable throats in the two exhaust nozzles. The TMS architecture is an air cycle system using air bled from the high-pressure compressor. The effect of integrating the TMS into the engine design loop is investigated. A comparison is made to prior studies where the same TMS architecture was connected to a low bypass ratio turbofan engine. The comparison shows that the variable cycle engine is able to improve heat dissipation capability versus a ram air cooled system, while eliminating the airframe integration impact that comes with a separate ram-air stream. Lastly, the impact of modulating the variable geometry features on overall cooling capability is investigated. Results are presented for individual operating points as well as at the aircraft mission level.
Electric field lines of an arbitrarily moving charged particle
Authors: Arutunian S. G. , Aginian M. A. , Margaryan A. V. , Chung M. , Lazareva E. G.
Published: October 2023

Electromagnetic fields of relativistic charged particles have a broad frequency spectrum and a sophisticated spatial structure. Field lines offer a visual representation of this spatial structure. In this article, we derive a general set of equations for the field lines of any moving charged particle. The electric field lines are completely determined by the unit vector from the retarding point to the observation point. After proper transformations, the field line equations describe the rotation of this vector with an angular velocity coinciding with Thomas precession. In some cases, including all planar trajectories, the field line equations reduce to linear differential equations with constant coefficients. We present a detailed derivation of these equations and their general analytical solution. We then illustrate this method by constructing field lines for the “figure eight” motion of an electric charge moving under the influence of a plane wave, including complex field lines in three dimensions.
Force on a moving object in an ideal quantum gas
Authors: Kanchanapusakit Wittaya , Tanalikhit Pattarapon
Published: October 2023

We consider a heavy external object moving in an ideal gas of light particles. Collisions with the gas particles transfer momentum to the object, leading to a force that is proportional to the object's velocity but in the opposite direction. In an ideal classical gas at temperature T, the force acting on the object is proportional to T. Quantum statistics causes a deviation from the T-dependence and shows that the force scales with T2 at low temperatures. At T = 0, the force vanishes in a Bose gas but is finite in a Fermi gas.
Coupled oscillations of the Wilberforce pendulum unveiled by smartphones
Authors: Gallot Thomas , Gau Daniel , García-Tejera Rodrigo
Published: October 2023

The Wilberforce pendulum illustrates important properties of coupled oscillators including normal modes and beat phenomena. When helical spring is attached to a mass to create the Wilberforce pendulum, the longitudinal and torsional oscillations are coupled. A Wilberforce can be constructed simply from a standard laboratory spring, and a smartphone's accelerometer and gyroscope can be used to monitor the oscillations. We show that the resulting time-series data match theoretical predictions, and we share the procedures for observing both normal modes and beats.
Multiplicity counting using organic scintillators to distinguish neutron sources: An advanced teaching laboratory
Authors: Darby Flynn B. , Hua Michael Y. , Pakari Oskari V. , Clarke Shaun D. , Pozzi Sara A.
Published: October 2023

In this advanced instructional laboratory, students explore complex detection systems and nondestructive assay techniques used in the field of nuclear physics. After setting up and calibrating a neutron detection system, students carry out timing and energy deposition analyses of radiation signals. Through the timing of prompt fission neutron signals, multiplicity counting is used to carry out a special nuclear material (SNM) nondestructive assay. Our experimental setup is comprised of eight trans-stilbene organic scintillation detectors in a well-counter configuration, and measurements are taken on a spontaneous fission source as well as two (α,n) sources. By comparing each source's measured multiplicity distribution, the resulting measurements of the (α,n) sources can be distinguished from that of the spontaneous fission source. Such comparisons prevent the spoofing, i.e., intentional imitation, of a fission source by an (α,n) neutron source. This instructional laboratory is designed for nuclear engineering and physics students interested in organic scintillators, neutron sources, and nonproliferation radiation measurement techniques.
Galilean relativity and the path integral formalism in quantum mechanics
Authors: Torre Charles
Published: October 2023

Closed systems in Newtonian mechanics obey the principle of Galilean relativity. However, the usual Lagrangian for Newtonian mechanics, formed from the difference of kinetic and potential energies, is not invariant under the full group of Galilean transformations. In quantum mechanics, Galilean boosts require a non-trivial transformation rule for the wave function and a concomitant “projective representation” of the Galilean symmetry group. Using Feynman's path integral formalism, this latter result can be shown to be equivalent to the non-invariance of the Lagrangian. Thus, using path integral methods, the representation of certain symmetry groups in quantum mechanics can be simply understood in terms of the transformation properties of the classical Lagrangian and conversely. The main results reported here should be accessible to students and teachers of physics—particularly classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and mathematical physics—at the advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate levels, providing a useful exposition for those wanting to explore topics such as the path integral formalism for quantum mechanics, relativity principles, Lagrangian mechanics, and representations of symmetries in classical and quantum mechanics.
Special geologic features of Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Authors: Zelt Fred , Shaulis Jim , Pazzaglia Frank
Published: October 2023

With waterfalls and the deepest gorge in Pennsylvania, Ohiopyle State Park provides opportunities to observe a variety of habitats and three-dimensional (3-D) exposures of the Pennsylvanian sandstone most responsible for shaping Laurel Highlands landscapes. Evidence for the relationship between bedrock, ancient climates, and the landscape can be observed at some of the most scenic natural features of the park: Baughman Rock Overlook, Cucumber Falls, Ohiopyle Falls, Meadow Run Waterslide and Cascades, and Youghiogheny River Entrance Rapid. Channel azimuths and lateral variations in thickness of upper Pottsville fluvial/deltaic sandstone suggest that deposition was influenced by deformation of this part of the Allegheny Plateau during the Alleghanian orogeny. Geologic features of Pottsville sandstone outcrops include a 10-m- (~33-ft-) long Lepidodendron fossil and a 3-D exposure of a meter-high Pennsylvanian subaqueous sand dune and scour pit. Cosmogenic age dating has indicated very slow erosion of hard sandstone in an upland location at Turtlehead Rock and informed estimation of Pleistocene/Holocene waterfall retreat rates of Ohiopyle and Cucumber Falls. Bedrock exposures supporting scour habitats along the Youghiogheny River occur only in a limited area of Youghiogheny Gorge where knickpoint migration and bedrock erosion were relatively recent. Geologic factors, including locations of major tributaries, development of bars that constrict river flow, and proximity of Homewood sandstone outcrops as sources of boulder obstacles in the river, contributed to the class, location, and nature of whitewater rapids in the lower Youghiogheny River.
Hydrology and geology of the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, USA
Authors: Riddell Jill L. , Rau Benjamin , Russoniello Christopher
Published: October 2023

The Fernow Experimental Forest (the “Fernow”) is an 1860-ha (4600-acre) research forested watershed in Parsons, West Virginia, USA. The Fernow has been in operation since 1934 and has historically been the site of timbering and silvicultural research programs. Beginning in the 1950s, a water quality research program was established in the Fernow to assess the effects of different forestry management techniques on water quantity and quality. As a result, most peer-reviewed research from the Fernow has focused on water quality data directly related to forestry efforts with little mention of the effects of geology, hydrogeology, or climate on water resources in the Fernow. Further, the Fernow is representative of Appalachian headwater mountain watersheds and is a protected and secure research site in the greater Monongahela National Forest. This, in combination with the long-term data records from the water research program, make the Fernow an ideal location for further geologic and hydrologic investigations in forested mountain watersheds. The geology of the Fernow is dominated by moderately dipping Paleozoic-aged strata with local karst features (e.g., springs) occurring in one unit. The hydrology of the Fernow consists of intermittent and perennial streams that are reactive to seasonal weather patterns. This field guide serves as an overview of the geology and hydrology of the Fernow and surrounding region to be used as a teaching and recruitment tool to advance the geologic understanding of Allegheny Mountain headwaters.
A record of the Pleistocene: Periglacial landforms, deposits, and fauna in the Appalachian highlands of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, USA
Authors: Adams Rebecca Kavage , Swift Mark , Brezinski David K. , Schaney Mitzy L. , Kite J. Steven
Published: October 2023

During the Pleistocene, the Laurentian Ice Sheet extended southward into northwestern Pennsylvania. This field trip identifies a number of periglacial features from the Appalachian Plateaus and Ridge and Valley provinces that formed near the Pleistocene ice sheet front. Evidence of Pleistocene periglacial climate in this area includes glacial lake deposits in the Monongahela River valley near Morgantown, West Virginia, and Sphagnum peatlands, rock cities, and patterned ground in plateau areas surrounding the Upper Youghiogheny River basin in Garrett County, Maryland, and the Laurel Highlands of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA. In the high-lying basins of the Allegheny Mountains, Pleistocene peatlands still harbor species characteristic of more northerly latitudes due to local frost pocket conditions. Pleistocene fauna preserved in a cave deposit in Allegany County, Maryland, record a diverse mammalian assemblage indicative of taiga forest habitat in the Ridge and Valley province.
Assessing the trophic ecology of Southern Ocean Myctophidae: the added value of DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Vasiliadis Michaelis , Freer Jennifer J. , Collins Martin A. , Cleary Alison C.
Published: October 2023

Lanternfishes (Myctophidae) are key components of mesopelagic fish communities globally. In the Southern Ocean, incomplete information on myctophid diets limits our understanding of their energetics, interactions, and wider ecosystem impact. Traditional microscopic methods of diet analysis have relatively coarse prey resolution and possible taxonomic and observer biases. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) metabarcode sequencing promises higher taxonomic and temporal resolution, but uncertainty remains in comparing this with microscopy-based analyses. Here, we applied 18S DNA metabarcode sequencing to stomach contents from 20 Electrona antarctica individuals that had previously been examined via microscopic analysis. Across all fish analysed, crustacean and gastropod taxa dominated the prey identified via both methods, with broad agreement between methods on the relative abundance of different prey items. DNA metabarcode sequencing recovered greater taxonomic diversity and resolution, particularly for soft-bodied prey items and small crustaceans. DNA sequencing results also more clearly differentiated diet between individuals collected from different environments. Overall, our findings illustrate how DNA-based methods are complementary to, and consistent with, traditional methods and can provide additional, high-resolution data on a range of trophic interactions.
The smeared-horizon observer of a black hole
Authors: Nieuwenhuizen Theodorus Maria
Published: October 2023

A class of observers is introduced that interpolate smoothly between the Schwarzschild observer, stable at spatial infinity, and the Kerr–Schild observer, who falls into a black hole. For these observers, the passing of the event and inner horizon takes a finite time, which diverges logarithmically when the interpolation parameter$$\sigma $$σgoes to zero. In the field theoretic approach to gravitation, the behavior at the horizons becomes regular, making the mass of the metric well defined.
Variation of heat flow rate of vertically arranged plumbene sheets with number of layers and sample size
Authors: Das D. K. , Kumar B.
Published: October 2023

Plumbene is recently drawing the interests of researchers around the globe due to its marvelous properties. Earlier researchers have noticed that thermal conductivity of plumbene fluctuates with variation in sample sizes. We find that with a surge in the number of layers heat current flowing across plumbene dwindles. Between layers 1 and 2, the variation of heat flow rate is too fast, then from layers 2 to 4 slightest decrease is accounted. Deliberate gain in heat flow rate for plumbene from sample sizes 600[Formula: see text]Å, 650[Formula: see text]Å, 700[Formula: see text]Å, 750[Formula: see text]Å, 800[Formula: see text]Å, 850[Formula: see text]Å, 950[Formula: see text]Å and 1000[Formula: see text]Å is noticed. But a remarkable increment is observed at 900[Formula: see text]Å.
Effect of laser cleaning on adhesive properties of carbon fiber composite materials
Authors: Liu Weijun , Ji Dong , Wang Wei , Bian Hongyou , Ji Xiangcheng , Li Xiangjin
Published: October 2023

A pulsed fiber laser was used to conduct laser cleaning experiments on the composite paint layer on the surface of carbon fiber composite materials (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP)). The influence of laser energy density and laser travel speed on the cleaning effect was studied. The surface morphology, surface roughness and phase composition of the cleaned sample were analyzed. After bonding, tensile testing was conducted on the bonding part to verify the impact of laser cleaning on the bonding performance. The research results indicate that the cleaning effect gradually improves with the increase of laser energy density or the decrease of travel speed. In this experiment, when the laser energy density is 4.00[Formula: see text]J/cm2 and the travel speed is 6.5[Formula: see text]mm/s, the phase composition of the cleaned substrate surface is only C, without TiO2 and BaSO4. This indicates that the paint layer has been completely removed under this process parameter. By selecting reasonable process parameters, the surface paint layer of CFRP can be effectively removed, and a good surface morphology can be obtained without damage to the carbon fiber. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties after bonding can be improved.
Band engineering of Co1−xNixS2 with virtual crystal approximation: A first-principles calculations
Authors: Rai D. P. , Ekuma C. E.
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we have explored the electronic and magnetic properties of MS2([Formula: see text], Ni) using first-principles calculations. Our data show rather high tunability of the electronic and magnetic properties of the alloy Co[Formula: see text]NixS2[Formula: see text] with the emergence of half-metallicity that persisted up to the intermediate doping concentration. The half-metallic ground state is characterized by large spin polarization at the Fermi level ([Formula: see text]). Beyond the critical doping concentration [Formula: see text], we obtained a metallic solution followed by an antiferromagnetic ground state at a larger doping concentration. This study provides the underlying physics to understand the low-energy Hilbert space and reports the role of the Fermi surface in controlling the electron transport and thus elucidating the anomalous electronic and magnetic behavior of Co[Formula: see text]NixS2.
Counting in Visual Question Answering: Methods, Datasets, and Future Work
Authors: Welde Tesfayee Meshu , Liao Lejian
Published: October 2023

Visual Question Answering (VQA) is a language-based method for analyzing images, which is highly helpful in assisting people with visual impairment. The VQA system requires a demonstrated holistic image understanding and conducts basic reasoning tasks concerning the image in contrast to the specific task-oriented models that simply classifies object into categories. Thus, VQA systems contribute to the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology by answering open-ended, arbitrary questions about a given image. In addition, VQA is also used to assess the system’s ability by conducting Visual Turing Test (VTT). However, because of the inability to generate the essential datasets and being incapable of evaluating the systems due to flawlessness and bias, the VQA system is incapable of assessing the system’s overall efficiency. This is seen as a possible and significant limitation of the VQA system. This, in turn, has a negative impact on the progress of performance observed in VQA algorithms. Currently, the research on the VQA system is dealing with more specific sub-problems, which include counting in VQA systems. The counting sub-problem of VQA is a more sophisticated one, riddling with several challenging questions, especially when it comes to complex counting questions such as those that demand object identifications along with detection of objects attributes and positional reasoning. The pooling operation that is considered to perform an attention mechanism in VQA is found to degrade the counting performance. A number of algorithms have been developed to address this issue. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of counting techniques in the VQA system that is developed especially for answering questions such as “How many?”. However, the performance progress achieved by this system is still not satisfactory due to bias that occurs in the datasets from the way we phrase the questions and because of weak evaluation metrics. In the future, fully-fledged architecture, wide-size datasets with complex counting questions and a detailed breakdown in categories, and strong evaluation metrics for evaluating the ability of the system to answer complex counting questions, such as positional and comparative reasoning will be executed.
Designing Personalized Pedagogical AI Agents to Support Children's Exploratory Learning
Authors: Zhang Xiajie
Published: October 2023

Can a social robot support children to become better learners? How personalizing a social robot's behavior can encourage learner exploration.
Teaching a New Dog Old Tricks
Authors: Hepler Leland , Robert David
Published: October 2023

Boston Dynamics, famous for their robot quadruped dog "Spot," takes new inspiration from some "not-so-new" sources.
On Neuroevolution of Multi-Input Compositional Pattern Producing Networks: A Case of Entertainment Computing, Edge Devices, and Smart Cities
Authors: Ullah Obaid , Khan Habib Ullah , Halim Zahid , Anwar Sajid , Waqas Muhammad
Published: October 2023

This work presents a novel approach by utilizing Heterogeneous Activation Neural Networks (HA-NNs) to evolve the weights of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for reinforcement learning in console and arcade computer games like Atari's Breakout and Sonic the Hedgehog. It is the first study to explore the potential of HA-NNs as potent ANNs in solving gaming-related reinforcement learning problems. Additionally, the proposed solution optimizes data transmission over networks for edge devices, marking a novel application of HA-NNs. The study achieved outstanding results, outperforming recent works in benchmark environments like CartPole-v1, Lunar Lander Continuous, and MountainCar-Continuous, with HA-NNs and ANNs evolved using the Neuroevolution of Augmenting Topologies (NEAT) algorithm. Notably, the key advancements include exceptional scores of 500 in CartPole-v1 and 98.2 in Mountain Car Continuous, demonstrating the efficacy of HA-NNs in reinforcement learning tasks. Beyond gaming, the research addresses the challenge of efficient data communication between edge devices, which has the potential to enhance performance in smart cities while reducing the load on edge devices and supporting seamless entertainment experiences with minimal commuting. This work pioneers the application of HA-NNs in reinforcement learning for computer games and introduces a novel approach for optimizing edge device communication, promising significant advancements in the fields of AI, neural networks, and smart city technologies.
Teach and Explore: A Multiplex Information-guided Effective and Efficient Reinforcement Learning for Sequential Recommendation
Authors: Yan Surong , Shi Chenglong , Wang Haosen , Chen Lei , Jiang Ling , Guo Ruilin , Lin Kwei-Jay
Published: October 2023

Casting sequential recommendation (SR) as a reinforcement learning (RL) problem is promising and some RL-based methods have been proposed for SR. However, these models are sub-optimal due to the following limitations: (a) they fail to leverage the supervision signals in the RL training to capture users’ explicit preferences, leading to slow convergence; and (b) they do not utilize auxiliary information (e.g., knowledge graph) to avoid blindness when exploring users’ potential interests. To address the above-mentioned limitations, we propose a multiplex information-guided RL model (MELOD), which employs a novel RL training framework with Teach and Explore components for SR. We adopt a Teach component to accurately capture users’ explicit preferences and speed up RL convergence. Meanwhile, we design a dynamic intent induction network (DIIN) as a policy function to generate diverse predictions. We utilize the DIIN for the Explore component to mine users’ potential interests by conducting a sequential and knowledge information joint-guided exploration. Moreover, a sequential and knowledge-aware reward function is designed to achieve stable RL training. These components significantly improve MELOD’s performance and convergence against existing RL algorithms to achieve effectiveness and efficiency. Experimental results on seven real-world datasets show that our model significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods.
Better Understanding Procedural Search Tasks: Perceptions, Behaviors, and Challenges
Authors: Choi Bogeum , Casteel Sarah , Arguello Jaime , Capra Robert
Published: October 2023

People often search for information to acquire procedural knowledge–“how to” knowledge about step-by-step procedures, methods, algorithms, techniques, heuristics, and skills. A procedural search task might involve implementing a solution to a problem, evaluating different approaches to a problem, and brainstorming on the types of problems that can be solved with a specific resource. We report on a study (
N
=36) that aimed to better understand how people search for procedural knowledge. Much research has investigated how search task characteristics impact people’s perceptions and behaviors. Along these lines, we manipulated procedural search tasks along two orthogonal dimensions: product and goal. The product dimension relates to the main outcome of the task and the goal dimension relates to task’s success criteria. We manipulated tasks across three product categories and two goal categories. The study investigated four research questions. First, we examined the effects of the product and goal on participants’ (RQ1) pre-task perceptions, (RQ2) post-task perceptions, and (RQ3) search behaviors. Second, regardless of the task product and goal, by analyzing participants’ think-aloud comments and screen activities we closely examined how people search for procedural knowledge. Specifically, we report on (RQ4) important relevance criteria, types of information sought, and challenges.
Manipulating Visually Aware Federated Recommender Systems and Its Countermeasures
Authors: Yuan Wei , Yuan Shilong , Yang Chaoqun , Quoc Viet hung Nguyen , Yin Hongzhi
Published: October 2023

Federated recommender systems (FedRecs) have been widely explored recently due to their capability to safeguard user data privacy. These systems enable a central server to collaboratively learn recommendation models by sharing public parameters with clients, providing privacy-preserving solutions. However, this collaborative approach also creates a vulnerability that allows adversaries to manipulate FedRecs. Existing works on FedRec security already reveal that items can easily be promoted by malicious users via model poisoning attacks, but all of them mainly focus on FedRecs with only collaborative information (i.e., user–item interactions). We contend that these attacks are effective primarily due to the data sparsity of collaborative signals. In light of this, we propose a method to address data sparsity and model poisoning threats by incorporating product visual information. Intriguingly, our empirical findings demonstrate that the inclusion of visual information renders all existing model poisoning attacks ineffective.

Nevertheless, the integration of visual information also introduces a new avenue for adversaries to manipulate federated recommender systems, as this information typically originates from external sources. To assess such threats, we propose a novel form of poisoning attack tailored for visually aware FedRecs, namely image poisoning attacks, where adversaries can gradually modify the uploaded image with human-unaware perturbations to manipulate item ranks during the FedRecs’ training process. Moreover, we provide empirical evidence showcasing a heightened threat when image poisoning attacks are combined with model poisoning attacks, resulting in easier manipulation of the federated recommendation systems. To ensure the safe utilization of visual information, we employ a diffusion model in visually aware FedRecs to purify each uploaded image and detect the adversarial images. Extensive experiments conducted with two FedRecs on two datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and generalization of our proposed attacks and defenses.
Modified
α
-Parameterized Differential Transform Method for Solving Nonlinear Generalized Gardner Equation
Authors: Al-Rozbayani Abdulghafor M. , Qasim Ahmed Farooq
Published: October 2023

In this article, we present a novel enhancement to the

α

-parameterized differential transform method (PDTM) for solving nonlinear boundary value problems. The proposed method is applied to solve the generalized Gardner equation by utilizing genetic algorithms to obtain optimal parameter values. Our proposed approach extends the general differential transformation method, allowing for the use of various values for the coefficient

α

. Our solution procedure offers a distinct advantage by allowing the original differential transformation method to be divided into multiple steps, thereby illustrating specific solution properties for nonlinear boundary value problems. Additionally, possible alternative solutions based on varying parameter values are also explored and discussed. The results with those obtained through the DTM method and exact solutions are compared to confirm the accuracy of our method and its efficiency in reaching the exact solution quickly.
Superficial Radiotherapy (SRT‐100) as an Effective Noninvasive Treatment for Pyogenic Granuloma: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Song Ying-Hua , Chen Dan , Deng Shuang , Cai Wei-Na , Zhang Liang
Published: October 2023

Introduction. Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a common condition characterized by the appearance of a small raspberry‐like vascular growth that may appear on any part of the skin. PG usually occurs secondary to acute or chronic trauma. The primary treatment for PG is noninvasive therapy. In refractory cases, surgical resection is an alternative. Superficial radiation therapy system (SRT‐100) is a new technology that uses low‐energy radiotherapy to treat nonmelanoma skin cancers. SRT may also be used for the treatment of patients with PG who are unwilling to undergo surgery. Case Presentation. A 27‐year‐old woman presented with a recurrent neoplasm in the middle finger of the left hand after surgical resection. She refused to undergo reoperation or other aggressive options such as electrocautery or liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, so we prescribed only superficial radiotherapy (SRT‐100) alone, with a total dose of 14 Gy in four fractions. Conclusion. The neoplasm gradually flattened after treatment with 14 Gy in four fractions and disappeared completely 3 months after completion of treatment.
Safety Behavior and Transition Shock among Newly Graduated Nurses: The Mediating Role of Feedback-Seeking Behavior
Authors: Zhang Yan , Yu Xilin , Lu Xiaohong , Tang Yalin , Jiang Wenbin , Wei Qiaofeng , Wei Lili
Published: October 2023

Aim. To determine the relationship between transition shock and safety behavior among newly graduated nurses (NGNs) and explore the mediating role of feedback-seeking behavior. Background. The safety behavior of NGNs plays a vital role in improving patient safety in clinical situations. The direct effect of the transition shock experienced by these nurses on safety behavior remains limited, and little is known about the mediating effect of feedback-seeking behavior. Methods. A descriptive correlational research design was conducted with a cross-sectional sample of nurses in China using an online survey. A convenience sample of 575 nurses from 17 hospitals completed the questionnaires. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to examine the hypotheses. Results. The sampled NGNs’ safety behavior score was 55.35 ± 5.46. Their transition shock was negatively associated with safety behavior (β = −0.225,

p

 < 0.001). In contrast, feedback-seeking behavior was positively related to safety behavior (β = 0.502,

p

 < 0.001). The feedback-seeking behavior partially mediated the relationship between transition shock and safety behavior, and the mediating effect was 58.29%. Conclusions. The results emphasized that the relationship between NGNs’ transition shock and safety behavior is mediated by feedback-seeking behavior. Implications for Nursing Management. Interventions focusing on transition shock relief could help improve NGNs’ safety behavior. This study highlights the importance of encouraging feedback-seeking behavior to improve patient safety outcomes, especially for junior nurses. It can therefore be assumed that the nursing managers’ training of NGNs in special skills, such as feedback-seeking, may be conducive to their positive coping and contribute to forming safety behaviors.
Impact of Rare and Multiple Concurrent Gene Fusions on Diagnostic DNA Methylation Classifier in Brain Tumors
Authors: Galbraith Kristyn , Serrano Jonathan , Shen Guomiao , Tran Ivy , Slocum Cheyanne C. , Ketchum Courtney , Abdullaev Zied , Turakulov Rust , Bale Tejus , Ladanyi Marc , Sukhadia Purvil , Zaidinski Michael , Mullaney Kerry , DiNapoli Sara , Liechty Benjamin L. , Barbaro Marissa , Allen Jeffrey C. , Gardner Sharon L. , Wisoff Jeffrey , Harter David , Hidalgo Eveline Teresa , Golfinos John G. , Orringer Daniel A. , Aldape Kenneth , Benhamida Jamal , Wrzeszczynski Kazimierz O. , Jour George , Snuderl Matija
Published: October 2023

DNA methylation is an essential molecular assay for central nervous system (CNS) tumor diagnostics. While some fusions define specific brain tumors, others occur across many different diagnoses. We performed a retrospective analysis of 219 primary CNS tumors with whole genome DNA methylation and RNA next-generation sequencing. DNA methylation profiling results were compared with RNAseq detected gene fusions. We detected 105 rare fusions involving 31 driver genes, including 23 fusions previously not implicated in brain tumors. In addition, we identified 6 multi-fusion tumors. Rare fusions and multi-fusion events can impact the diagnostic accuracy of DNA methylation by decreasing confidence in the result, such as BRAF, RAF, or FGFR1 fusions, or result in a complete mismatch, such as NTRK, EWSR1, FGFR, and ALK fusions.

Implications:

DNA methylation signatures need to be interpreted in the context of pathology and discordant results warrant testing for novel and rare gene fusions.
FIGURE 6 from Statistical Assessment of Drug Synergy from In Vivo Combination Studies Using Mouse Tumor Models
Authors: Mao Binchen , Guo Sheng
Published: October 2023

Assessing synergy with tumor regrowth. Simulations were conducted to obtain empirical statistical power to detect Bliss synergy with respect to the number of mice n in a group, assuming equal number of mice in all four groups but with tumor regrowth. TV is measured twice a week for 3 weeks (on days 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21) assuming that tumor DT is 7 days, and the TV cutoff is set to 3,000 mm3. No synergy is imposed. A and B, Tumors regrow under combo treatment due to intrinsic resistance where 10% of tumor cells are intrinsically resistant to treatments A and A+B. C and D, Tumors regrow under combo treatment due to induced resistance where 10% of tumor cells resume growth with initial GR at day 10 under treatments A and A+B. In both scenarios, empirical power exhibits dependence on both mouse number n and observation time Tobs. When Tobs is sufficiently long (40–60 days), invivoSyn shows low empirical power, therefore low FDR, for synergy detection.
FIGURE 2 from Statistical Assessment of Drug Synergy from In Vivo Combination Studies Using Mouse Tumor Models
Authors: Mao Binchen , Guo Sheng
Published: October 2023

Validating in vitro drug synergy in in vivo combination studies. The TOP1 inhibitor irinotecan and the CHEK1 inhibitor rabusertib showed strong synergy in three colon cell lines, and were further tested in corresponding cell line–derived xenografts (4). The in vivo combination effects were reanalyzed by the CombPDX and invivoSyn methods for the three xenografts: SW837(A–D); SNU-81 (E–H); LS-1034 (I–L). For each xenograft, four graphs from left to right sequentially show tumor growth curves (A, E, I); local CI and gCI values with 95% confidence intervals and P values under the Bliss independence model by the CombPDX method (B, F, J); density distribution of the Bliss CI values based on 1,000 bootstrap resamples, along with the actual CI value (black triangle) as well as its 95% confidence interval (blue line) and P value, all by our invivoSyn method (C, G, K), where a red dashed vertical line indicates additive effect (1 for CI and 0 for SS); similar information for Bliss SSs by the invivoSyn method (D, H, L). Results in B, F, and J were drawn using output from the CombPDX website. Blue dots indicate local CI values, vertical lines show the 95% confidence interval. Some local CI values are erroneously not in the corresponding 95% confidence intervals.
FIGURE 1 from Statistical Assessment of Drug Synergy from In Vivo Combination Studies Using Mouse Tumor Models
Authors: Mao Binchen , Guo Sheng
Published: October 2023

The quantification of in vivo synergy based on an unbiased metric of drug effect. A, Definition of eGR, an unbiased metric of in vivo drug effect. Upper graphs shows two synthetic curves, for illustrative purposes, depicting tumor growth and shrinkage measured by TV. Bottom graphs show the same tumor growth curves in natural log scale, and illustrate the calculation of eGR, which is defined as , where AUC is the size of the colored area and d is the study duration in days (see Materials and Methods for details). B, The 4-group design is the most common in vivo combination study, which has four treatment groups for the vehicle control, drug A, drug B, and drug A+B, with fixed doses for the two drugs. A group usually has multiple mice that vary in tumor growth curves and number of TV datapoints. C, The average tumor growth curves of the four groups. The relative survival is calculated for drugs A, B, A+B based on TV at a particular day, then the CI and SS are estimated under several models, only Bliss independence model is shown. D, Bootstrap confidence internals and P values are calculated for both CI and SS. The histogram, overlaid by a red fitted density curve, shows the distribution of 1,000 bootstrap values for CI or SS; the red dashed vertical line indicates additive effect (1 for CI and 0 for SS); the black triangle marks the calculated value for CI or SS; the blue horizontal line indicates the 95% confidence interval. invivoSyn is the name of our method as well as the software package implementing it.
Pilotstudie zur Validierung eines prozessorientierten Fragebogens zur Erfassung körperdysmorpher Kognitionen (FKDK)
Authors: Schüller Johanna , Stangier Ulrich , Ritter Viktoria
Published: October 2023

Hintergrund: Dysfunktionale Kognitionen über das eigene Aussehen sind ein Kernsymptom der körperdysmorphen Störung und Fokus in kognitiv-behavioralen Behandlungsmanualen. Jedoch ist die Rolle körperdysmorpher Kognitionen als Mediator für den Behandlungserfolg noch nicht umfassend erforscht und es existiert im deutschsprachigen Raum kein Messinstrument zur Erfassung. Ziel der Pilotstudie war die Entwicklung und vorläufige Validierung eines Fragebogens zur Erfassung körperdysmorpher Kognitionen (FKDK) sowie die Untersuchung von Veränderungen über den Therapieverlauf. Material und Methoden: Der FKDK misst die Auftretenshäufigkeit und Überzeugtheit spezifischer Kognitionen. An einer klinischen Stichprobe (N = 30) wurden Konstruktvalidität, Reliabilität und Veränderungssensitivität untersucht. Zudem wurde der Verlauf im Rahmen einer prozessbasierten kognitiven Therapie untersucht und evaluiert, ob der KDS-Schweregrad vor Behandlungsbeginn sowie die therapeutische Beziehung die Reduktion körperdysmorpher Kognitionen beeinflussen. Ergebnisse: Wir fanden eine gute interne Konsistenz sowie eine gute Veränderungssensitivität. Konvergente Korrelationen deuten ausreichende Zusammenhänge mit anderen Maßen für KDS-Schweregrad an, wobei höhere Korrelationen mit Depressionsmaßen Unklarheiten bei der Konstruktvalidität aufwerfen. Personen mit höherem KDS-Schweregrad sowie einer besseren therapeutischen Beziehung zeigten eine stärkere Reduktion der Kognitionen. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Die faktorielle Struktur des FKDK ist ungeklärt und muss an einer größeren Stichprobe untersucht werden. Insgesamt konnte diese Studie erste Hinweise liefern, dass der FKDK aufgrund der ökonomischen Durchführung und Veränderungssensitivität zur kontinuierlichen Beobachtung im Therapieverlauf nützlich sein könnte. Zukünftige Studien sollten die Rolle körperdysmorpher Kognitionen als Mediator für den Therapieerfolg kognitiver Therapie bei KDS untersuchen.
Implementation of a community of inquiry in teaching English as a foreign language in secondary schools: A literature review
Authors: Suharno Suharno , Suherdi Didi , Gunawan Wawan
Published: October 2023

Garrison, Anderson, and Archer’s community of inquiry (CoI) pedagogical framework for online distance learning is receiving greater attention as the COVID-19 takes place. Primary research concerns the researcher with English as a second language (ESL) instruction and acquisition English as a foreign language (EFL). More specifically, the study looked at 27 EFL-related articles from 133 published between 2011 and 2021 in respected journals that used the framework to teach languages. This study focused on the theoretical and practical applications of the framework in the field of foreign language distance teaching and learning that incorporates the use of information and communication of technology (ICT). It was concluded from the study’s findings that implementing the framework in secondary schools had little impact. Research suggests that the framework can be used in teaching English as foreign language (TEFL) and it is associated with improved language proficiency. Teachers must adapt to the distant learning pedagogical framework and its supporting technology, according to this study. The paper also advocates for further research into how the framework may be applied in secondary school.
Effectiveness of problem-based learning models to improve learning outcomes of geography in the new normal learning era
Authors: Aristin Nevy Farista , Hastuti Karunia Puji , Arisanty Deasy , Adyatma Sidharta , Donna Christiana
Published: October 2023

Online learning causes teachers to be considered more active than students, so students’ higher-order thinking skills decrease. Limited face-to-face learning is a new normal policy in the field of education. Learning models can be one way to recreate active learning to improve student’s learning outcomes. This study determines the effectiveness of the problem-based learning (PBL) model in enhancing student learning outcomes of geography in new normal learning. This research is a nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design. The population is all class XI social study (IPS) at Senior High School 13 Banjarmasin, Indonesia. The sample is used as the experimental group, namely XI IPS 3 totaling 17 students, and the sample is used as the control group, namely XI IPS 2 totaling 14 students. Data collection techniques use tests, non-test, interviews, and documentation. The results are the independent t-test in the experimental and control groups showed that the PBL model effectively improved student learning outcomes in geography in the new normal learning era. The implication is the PBL model can be applied to new normal learning by teachers by elaborating with learning technology which is still adapted to the characteristics of students so that learning objectives are achieved.
The DeLone and McLean model for measuring success in online learning systems: Indonesian evidence
Authors: Sarasi Vita , Chaerudin Iman , Sundoro Irhaz Aulianandatama
Published: October 2023

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) during the era of the fourth industrial revolution, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the government’s call for large-scale social restrictions have led to the emergence of online learning systems (OLS) in higher education. This study develops a measurement model for the success of OLS based on the DeLone McLean model. Surveys were conducted on a sample of 175 students from domestic and international universities. Data processing used the partial least squares structural equation modeling or PLS-SEM method, and root cause analysis. The results show that platform quality has a positive influence on OLS success, whether mediated by user satisfaction or OLS usage. Social influence has a positive effect on OLS success, mediated by OLS usage. User computer anxiety has a negative effect on OLS success, mediated by user satisfaction. Recommendations to improve OLS success include adjusting internet package rates to make them more affordable, improving signal strength to various locations for better coverage, limiting the number of users in one learning session for more effective OLS, and the need for organizational support in using the right applications.