bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparison of vector symbolic architectures
Authors: Schlegel Kenny , Neubert Peer , Protzel Peter
Published: December 2021

Vector Symbolic Architectures combine a high-dimensional vector space with a set of carefully designed operators in order to perform symbolic computations with large numerical vectors. Major goals are the exploitation of their representational power and ability to deal with fuzziness and ambiguity. Over the past years, several VSA implementations have been proposed. The available implementations differ in the underlying vector space and the particular implementations of the VSA operators. This paper provides an overview of eleven available VSA implementations and discusses their commonalities and differences in the underlying vector space and operators. We create a taxonomy of available binding operations and show an important ramification for non self-inverse binding operations using an example from analogical reasoning. A main contribution is the experimental comparison of the available implementations in order to evaluate (1) the capacity of bundles, (2) the approximation quality of non-exact unbinding operations, (3) the influence of combining binding and bundling operations on the query answering performance, and (4) the performance on two example applications: visual place- and language-recognition. We expect this comparison and systematization to be relevant for development of VSAs, and to support the selection of an appropriate VSA for a particular task. The implementations are available.
Rapid Aging as a Key to Understand Deactivation of Ni/Al2O3 Catalysts Applied for the CO2 Methanation
Authors: Beierlein Dennis , Häussermann Dorothea , Traa Yvonne , Klemm Elias
Published: December 2021

We developed a rapid aging method for Ni/Al2O3methanation catalysts mimicking the real aging in the actual application. The method is based on hydrothermal deactivation of the catalyst at 600 or 700 °C, which leads to a catalyst with nearly constant conversion after a much shorter time period compared to normal aging. The hydrothermally aged catalysts are characterized by N2adsorption, X-ray powder diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction and H2chemisorption. The catalytic performance of the aged catalysts is comparable to the one of a catalyst deactivated in a long-term measurement with up to 720 h on stream. The time needed for reaching a stable conversion can be diminished by rapid aging by a factor of 10. The investigations also showed that the long-term deactivation is caused by Ni particle sintering and that the support pores limit the Ni particle size.

Graphical Abstract
From LTL to unambiguous Büchi automata via disambiguation of alternating automata
Authors: Jantsch Simon , Müller David , Baier Christel , Klein Joachim
Published: December 2021

Due to the high complexity of translating linear temporal logic (LTL) to deterministic automata, several forms of “restricted” nondeterminism have been considered with the aim of maintaining some of the benefits of deterministic automata, while at the same time allowing more efficient translations from LTL. One of them is the notion of unambiguity. This paper proposes a new algorithm for the generation of unambiguous Büchi automata (UBA) from LTL formulas. Unlike other approaches it is based on a known translation from very weak alternating automata (VWAA) to NBA. A notion of unambiguity for alternating automata is introduced and it is shown that the VWAA-to-NBA translation preserves unambiguity. Checking unambiguity of VWAA is determined to be PSPACE-complete, both for the explicit and symbolic encodings of alternating automata. The core of the LTL-to-UBA translation is an iterative disambiguation procedure for VWAA. Several heuristics are introduced for different stages of the procedure. We report on an implementation of our approach in the tool and compare it to an existing LTL-to-UBA implementation in the tool set. Our experiments cover model checking of Markov chains, which is an important application of UBA.
Taxation of unhealthy food consumption and the intensive versus extensive margin of obesity
Authors: Kalamov Zarko Y. , Runkel Marco
Published: December 2021

If an individual’s health costs are U-shaped in weight with a minimum at some healthy level and if the individual has both self-control problems and rational motives for over- or underweight, the optimal paternalistic tax on calorie intake mitigates the individual’s weight problem (intensive margin), but does not induce the individual to choose healthy weight (extensive margin). Implementing healthy weight by a calorie tax is not only inferior to paternalistic taxation, but may even be worse than not taxing the individual at all. With heterogeneous individuals, the optimal uniform paternalistic tax may have the negative side effect of reducing calorie intake of the under- and normal weights. We confirm these theoretical insights by an empirical calibration to US adults.
On fully supported eigenfunctions of quantum graphs
Authors: Plümer Marvin , Täufer Matthias
Published: December 2021

We prove that every metric graph which is a tree has an orthonormal sequence of generic Laplace-eigenfunctions, that are eigenfunctions corresponding to eigenvalues of multiplicity one and which have full support. This implies that the number of nodal domains $$\nu _n$$

ν
n

of the n-th eigenfunction of the Laplacian with standard conditions satisfies $$\nu _n/n \rightarrow 1$$

ν
n

/
n
→
1

along a subsequence and has previously only been known in special cases such as mutually rationally dependent or rationally independent side lengths. It shows in particular that the Pleijel nodal domain asymptotics from two- or higher dimensional domains cannot occur on these graphs: Despite their more complicated topology, they still behave as in the one-dimensional case. We prove an analogous result on general metric graphs under the condition that they have at least one Dirichlet vertex. Furthermore, we generalize our results to Delta vertex conditions and to edgewise constant potentials. The main technical contribution is a new expression for a secular function in which modifications to the graph, to vertex conditions, and to the potential are particularly easy to understand.
Approaches in research on flood risk perception and their importance in flood risk management: a review
Authors: Lechowska Ewa
Published: December 2021

The study of flood risk perception factors can be considered by using different paradigms. In an attempt to understand risk perception, two basic paradigms can be distinguished: rationalist and constructivist. The rationalist approach tends to focus on modeling, characterizing, and predicting behavioral results regarding various threats. According to the constructivist paradigm, threats are perceived as socially constructed. This review paper aims to assess the importance of the rationalist and constructivist approaches in research on flood risk perception and flood risk management more broadly by answering the questions: (1) Which paradigm dominates the research of flood risk perception?, (2) What is the relationship between rationalistic and constructivistic factors (e.g., stimulation, weakening, strengthening, etc.)?, (3) which factors are more effective in moderating attitudes toward flood risk? The paper concludes by pointing out the desired direction of research on flood risk perception from the perspective of improving flood risk management. In contemporary empirical works managing the perception of flood risk, a rationalistic approach that psychometrically searches for cognitive models dominates. Often, statistically obtained dependencies are mutually exclusive. Studies on perception that apply the constructivist approach are in an early stage of development, nevertheless providing consistent results. They indicate that the social, political, cultural, religious, and historical contexts shape the perception of flood risk. On the basis of the aforementioned information, research on flood risk in a constructivist approach should be expanded, as it provides a clear, often underappreciated catalog of contextual factors shaping risk perception and, importantly, simultaneously moderating the influence of rationalist factors on flood risk perception.
Assessment of prospective geological hazards in Torrevieja-La Mata coast (western Mediterranean) based on Pleistocene and Holocene events
Authors: Torres Trinidad , Ortiz José E. , Mediavilla Rosa , Sánchez-Palencia Yolanda , Santisteban Juan Ignacio , Vega-Panizo Rogelio
Published: December 2021

The coastal zone in which the lagoons of La Mata and Torrevieja (Eastern Spain) developed can be described as a compilation of geo-hazards typical of the Mediterranean realm. This study has focused mainly on those linked to recent tectonics. Extensive use of the amino acid racemization dating method allowed us to establish the evolution of all the geomorphological units differentiated in the area, the most striking manifestation being at the La Mata Lagoon Bar, where MIS 5 deposits settled on MIS 7 sediments along a marked erosive unconformity, thereby attesting coastal uplift between these two stages. In addition, recent uplift processes were reflected on stepped abrasion platforms and, in some cases, enormous boulders were transported over these platforms by extreme surge waves. Furthermore, we obtained feasible evidence that, during the end of MIS 5, an earthquake with an offshore epicenter linked to Torrevieja Fault, Bajo Segura Fault or the set of faults linked to the former, was responsible for tsunami surge deposits represented in accumulations of randomly arranged and well-preserved Glycymeris and Acanthocardia shells. Recent catastrophic effects linked to the earthquakes were also detected. In this regard, comparison of the paleontological and taphonomic analyses allowed us to discern between wave and tsunami surge deposits. Therefore, evidence of these hazards undoubtedly points to important future (and present) erosive and/or catastrophic processes, which are enhanced by the presence of tourist resorts and salt-mining industry. Thus, these sites are also threatened by future increases in sea level in the context of warmer episodes, attested by raised marine fossil deposits. At the north of Cervera Cape, beaches will be eroded, without any possibility of sediment input from the starved Segura River delta. At the south of this cape, waves (and tsunamis) will erode the soft rocks that built up the cliff, creating deep basal notches.
General patterns of sexual dimorphism in graylings (Thymallus), with a comparison to other salmonid species
Authors: Englmaier Gernot K. , Antonov Alexander , Weiss Steven J.
Published: December 2021

Among fishes, salmonids (family Salmonidae) have attracted a great deal of research attention focused on sexual dimorphism and associated selective forces. Most of this research has been directed toward anadromous and mostly semelparous salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus,Salmo), and comparatively little is known about intersexual variability in strictly iteroparous freshwater salmonids. We examined a comprehensive data set of 28 linear morphometric characters in 11 of 15 currently recognised species of grayling (Thymallinae,Thymallus), a genus consisting of iteroparous species only, to identify general patterns of intersexual morphological variability. Overall, we found that all grayling species show common sex-specific traits particularly relating to size dimensions of the dorsal, anal, pelvic and pectoral fins. Although the magnitude of sexual dimorphism differed among species, there was no significant phylogenetic signal associated with these differences across the genus. These results are discussed in terms of the assumed selection pressures driving sexual dimorphism in graylings and are compared to existing knowledge in Salmonidae as a whole where similarities and differences with both Salmoninae and Coregoninae exist. The present study provides the first detailed genus-wide comparison of sexually dimorphic phenotypic characters in graylings, and highlights the need for more large-scale comparative studies in multiple salmonid species to better understand general macroevolutionary trends among this important group of freshwater fishes.
Divergent Effects of Antibiotics on Plants and Microbiota in Soils with Contrasting Humus Content
Authors: Bloor Michelle C. , Kiryushina A , Kydralieva K , Bondarenko L , Pozdnyakov L , Manucharova N , Terekhova V
Published: December 2021

Despite the large number of scientific studies on the effects of antibiotics on soil microorganisms, little is known about the role played by soil organic matter (humus) in the interaction of antibiotics with microorganisms and plants, including the impacts on respiration and growth rate and the implications for nitrogen metabolism, which is an important factor in soil fertility The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of two widely used antibiotics, tetracycline and streptomycin, on microbiotic activity and plant growth in two soils with dissimilar organic carbon content, at the extremes of the fertility spectrum based on humus content. The study used humus-rich (Corg 5.4%) and humus-poor soils (Corg 1.5%) and measured basal respiration, substrate-induced respiration, nitric oxide emission, germination, and growth of white mustard 3 and 60 days after three progressively increasing doses of antibiotics were applied. Tetracycline was found to impair the ecological function of humus-rich soil by reducing denitrification and compromising soil microbial activity, while the effect of streptomycin on humus-poor soil was to reduce nitrification and soil fertility due to nitrogen escape. Both streptomycin and tetracycline increased the microbial biomass and suppressed the growth of white mustard seeds, which indicates an increase in the allelopathic activity of microorganisms in the soil conditions under the influence of antibiotics and their metabolites. Due to the low sorption of streptomycin in humus-poor soils, it poses a great danger to agricultural production, especially in areas of low fertility. In humus-rich soils, high concentrations of tetracycline caused numerous problems, including death of the crop plants. Thus, the effect of antibiotics as well as the more traditional soil pollutants, such as heavy metals, to a large extent, depends on the humus content of soils.
Development of a Compact Photoacoustic Tomography Imaging System with Dual Single-Element Transducers for Image Enhancement
Authors: Zhao Yong-jian , Zhu Xiao-long , Luo Pei-yu , Li Ang , Xiao Wei , Xiao Xiao , Liu Li , Meng Max Q.-H.
Published: December 2021

Objective

This paper proposes a new photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) imaging system employing dual ultrasonic transducers with different frequencies. When imaging complex biological tissues, photoacoustic (PA) signals with multiple frequencies are produced simultaneously; however, due to the limited bandwidth of a single-frequency transducer, the received PA signals with specific frequencies may be missing, leading to a low imaging quality.

Methods

In contrast to our previous work, the proposed system has a compact volume as well as specific selection of the detection center frequency of the transducer, which can provide a comprehensive range for the detection of PA signals. In this study, a series of numerical simulation and phantom experiments were performed to validate the efficacy of the developed PACT system.

Results

The images generated by our system combined the advantages of both high resolution and ideal brightness/contrast.

Conclusion

The interchangeability of transducers with different frequencies provides potential for clinical deployment under the circumstance where a single frequency transducer cannot perform well.
Sex differences in treatment strategy for coronary artery aneurysms: Insights from the international Coronary Artery Aneurysm Registry
Authors: Arslan F. , Núñez-Gil I. J. , Rodríguez-Olivares R. , Cerrato E. , Bollati M. , Nombela-Franco L. , Terol B. , Alfonso-Rodríguez E. , Camacho Freire S. J. , Villablanca P. A. , Amat Santos I. J. , De la Torre Hernández J. M. , Pascual I. , Liebetrau C. , Alkhouli M. , Fernández-Ortiz A. ,   Coronary Artery Aneurysm Registry (CAAR) investigators
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Sex disparities exist in coronary artery disease (CAD) in terms of risk profile, clinical management and outcome. It is unclear if differences are also present in coronary aneurysms, a rare variant of CAD.

Methods

Patients were selected from the international Coronary Artery Aneurysm Registry (CAAR; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02563626), and differences between groups were analysed according to sex. The CAAR database is a prospective multicentre registry of 1565 patients with coronary aneurysms (336 females). Kaplan-Meier method was used for event-free survival analysis for death, major adverse cardiac events (MACE: composite endpoint of death, heart failure and acute coronary syndrome) and bleeding.

Results

Female patients were older, were more often hypertensive and less frequently smoker. They were treated conservatively more often compared to male patients and received significantly less frequently aspirin (92% vs 88%, p = 0.002) or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (67% vs 58%, p = 0.001) at discharge. Median DAPT duration was also shorter (3 vs 9 months, p = 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no sex differences in death, MACE or bleeding during a median follow-up duration of 37 months, although male patients did experience acute coronary syndrome (ACS) more often during follow-up (15% vs 10%, p = 0.015).

Conclusions

These CAAR findings showed a comparable high-risk cardiovascular risk profile for both sexes. Female patients were treated conservatively more often and received DAPT less often at discharge, with a shorter DAPT duration. ACS was more prevalent among male patients; however, overall clinical outcome was not different between male and female patients during follow-up.
Risk Information Sources for Snow Disaster Risk Preparedness in Scotland
Authors: Adekola Josephine , Renaud Fabrice , Hill Carol
Published: December 2021

Heavy snow disruptions are common and costly occurrences in the UK, including Scotland. Yet, heavy snow remains an underresearched aspect of disaster risks in Scotland. This study critically examined the 2018 heavy snow event in Scotland referred to as the “Beast from the East” (BfE) in order to explore the different sources of information used by the public in preparation for and response to heavy snow emergencies. Our study also examined the effectiveness of BfE risk communication between authorities and the public and sought to determine if there is a relationship between risk information received and the intention to mitigate risk. Data were collected through a semistructured survey from (n = 180) residents of the Annandale and Eskdale region of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Our analysis shows that public authority information sources were the most sought-after information sources, followed by online and web sources. We found statistically significant differences between groups (such as age, gender, and mobility/disability) in terms of using risk information sources. Further analysis shows that the relationship between information received and the intention to mitigate risks is not linear but influenced by intervening variables such as work pressures, financial commitment, and stakeholders’ expectations. We argue that where full adherence to official risk advice is required, policymakers should carefully consider issues around these three factors.
Correction to: Multi-fluid modelling of bubbly channel flows with an adaptive multi-group population balance method
Authors: Papoulias D. , Vichansky A. , Tandon M.
Published: December 2021

The article “Multi-fluid modelling of bubbly channel flows with an adaptive multi-group population balance method ” written by D. Papoulias, A. Vichansky, and M. Tandon, was originally published electronically on the publisher ’s internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 21 October 2020 without open access. After publication in Volume 3, Issue 3, page 171–185, the author(s) decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an open access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to © The Author(s) 2021 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
COVID-19 Infection Is Associated With New Onset Erectile Dysfunction: Insights From a National Registry
Authors: Chu Kevin Y. , Nackeeran Sirpi , Horodyski Laura , Masterson Thomas A. , Ramasamy Ranjith
Published: December 2021

Introduction

The short- and long-term effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on erectile function and penile vasculature remains poorly understood and is of particular importance as the virus has been found to be present within the penile tissue.

Aim

We determined the association of COVID-19 infection and subsequent diagnoses of erectile dysfunction.

Methods

We assessed the risk of ED in men with COVID-19 in the United States (US) using the TriNetX Research Network, a federated electronic medical records network of over 42 healthcare organizations and 66 million patients from the US. We identified adult men (≥ 18 years) with a recorded COVID-19 infection (ICD-10-CM B34.2, U07.1, U07.2, J12.81, J12.82, B97.29) since January 1, 2020, and compared them to an equivalent number of adult men who did not have COVID-19 over the same timeframe. Men with prior history or diagnosis of ED before January 1, 2020 were excluded. We accounted for confounding variables through propensity score matching for age, race, body mass index (BMI), and history of the following comorbid medical conditions: diabetes mellitus (E11), hypertension (I10), ischemic heart disease (I20-25), or hyperlipidemia (E78).

Outcomes

We assessed the association between COVID-19 and ED (N52) as a primary outcome through regression analysis with statistical significance assessed at P< .05.

Results

Prior to propensity score matching, men with COVID-19 were found to be older than men without COVID-19 (47.1 ± 21.4 vs 42.4 ± 24.3 years). Additionally, men with COVID-19 were noted to have increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) when compared to men without COVID-19 (13% DM and 27% HTN vs 7% DM and 22% HTN). After propensity score matching, we compared 230,517 men with COVID-19 to 232,645 men without COVID-19 and found that COVID-19 diagnosis was significantly associated with ED (odds ratio 1.20, 95% confidence interval 1.004–1.248, P= .04).

Clinical Implications

Our findings indicate that clinicians should consider evaluating erectile dysfunction among men with recent COVID-19 diagnoses and counsel them regarding the risk of developing erectile dysfunction.

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths include large sample size and adjustment for confounding variables. Limitations include reliance on a global federated dataset, retrospective study design, and lack of data regarding ED (mild vs moderate vs severe), COVID-19 infection severity, or history of prostate cancer and radiation,

Conclusion

There is an increased chance of new onset erectile dysfunction post-COVID-19 infection.
Opportunities and challenges in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Authors: Cao Dujuan , Song Qianqian , Li Junqi , Jiang Yuanyuan , Wang Zhimin , Lu Shuangshuang
Published: December 2021

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumours with a poor prognosis. In recent years, the incidence of pancreatic cancer is on the rise. Traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer have been improved, first-line and second-line palliative treatments have been developed, and adjuvant treatments have also been used in clinical. However, the 5-year survival rate is still less than 10% and new treatment methods such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy need to be investigated. In the past decades, many clinical trials of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer were launched and some of them showed an ideal prospect in a subgroup of pancreatic cancer patients. The experience of both success and failure of these clinical trials will be helpful to improve these therapies in the future. Therefore, the current research progress and challenges of selected targeted therapies and immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer are reviewed.
Shear-driven Hall-magnetohydrodynamic dynamos
Authors: Deguchi Kengo
Published: December 2021

Nonlinear Hall-magnetohydrodynamic dynamos associated with coherent structures in subcritical shear flows are investigated by using unstable invariant solutions. The dynamo solution found has a relatively simple structure, but it captures the features of the typical nonlinear structures seen in simulations, such as current sheets. As is well known, the Hall effect destroys the symmetry of the magnetohydrodynamic equations and thus modifies the structure of the current sheet and mean field of the solution. Depending on the strength of the Hall effect, the generation of the magnetic field changes in a complex manner. However, a too strong Hall effect always acts to suppress the magnetic field generation. The hydrodynamic/magnetic Reynolds number dependence of the critical ion skin depth at which the dynamos start to feel the Hall effect is of interest from an astrophysical point of view. An important consequence of the matched asymptotic expansion analysis of the solution is that the higher the Reynolds number, the smaller the Hall current affects the flow. We also briefly discuss how the above results for a relatively simple shear flow can be extended to more general flows such as infinite homogeneous shear flows and boundary layer flows. The analysis of the latter flows suggests that interestingly a strong induction of the generated magnetic field might occur when there is a background shear layer.
Witnessing Violence, Witnessing as Violence: Police Torture and Power in Twentieth-Century India
Authors: Kumar Radha
Published: December 2021

Police custodial violence was a normal occurrence in the southern Indian province of Madras through the twentieth century, across the colonial and postcolonial periods alike. While governmental authorities attributed torture to individual deviants and the press attributed the practice to a lack of government will in punishing offenders, this article locates police impunity in broader structures of power that permeated society. Specifically, it shows how the deployment of seemingly objective forms of evidence in adjudicating cases of torture—the testimony of respectable persons, medical expertise, and police writing—discounted the voices of victims of violence, reaffirming instead policing’s alignment with class, caste, and gendered authority. Equally, the very act of witnessing produced some subjects as socially privileged by virtue of their respectable status, their expertise, or their literacy, further separating them from bodies that were vulnerable to state violence. Police sovereign power within the station was thus constituted in conjunction with disciplinary power across society.
Prosecutors’ Habituation of Emotion Management in Swedish Courts
Authors: Wettergren Åsa , Bergman Blix Stina
Published: December 2021

The article examines the professional emotion management underlying prosecutors’ work in court. Building on interviews and observations of forty-one prosecutors at five offices in Sweden, and drawing on sociological theories of emotion habituation, we analyze the emotion management necessary to perform frontstage (in court) professionalism as a prosecutor. We divide our analysis into three key dimensions of habituation: the feeling rules of confidence and mastering anxiety associated with an independent performance; the feeling rules of emotional distance and a balanced display associated with performing the objective party; and the playful and strategic improvisation of feeling rules associated with relaxed emotional presence. The routinization of feeling rules and the gradual backgrounding of related emotion management leads to habituation. Our findings enhance understanding of emotion management skills as part of tacit knowledge conveyed in the legal professions where emotion-talk and emotional reflexivity are little acknowledged. The article also contributes to the largely US-dominated previous research by adding a civil law perspective on prosecutorial emotion management.
Do constituents know (or care) about the lawmaking effectiveness of their representatives?
Authors: Butler Daniel M. , Hughes Adam G. , Volden Craig , Wiseman Alan E.
Published: December 2021

Substantial evidence exists that members of the US Congress vary in their lawmaking effectiveness. Less known, however, is whether constituents are sufficiently informed and inclined to hold their representatives accountable, based on their effectiveness. We conduct two separate survey experiments, informing some constituents about lawmakers' effectiveness and comparing their responses to those with the baseline level of information. We find that voters demonstrate little knowledge of their elected officials' lawmaking effectiveness. When presented with objective and credible information about lawmaking effectiveness, however, respondents express greater approval of more effective lawmakers. Effects are strongest among ideological moderates, but are even pronounced among partisans, who approve of effective representatives of the opposing party, and disapprove of ineffective representatives from their own party.
What are we doing when we perceive numbers?
Authors: Jones Max , Zahidi Karim , Hutto Daniel D.
Published: December 2021

Clarke and Beck rightly contend that the number sense allows us to directly perceive number. However, they unnecessarily assume a representationalist approach and incur a heavy theoretical cost by invoking “modes of presentation.” We suggest that the relevant evidence is better explained by adopting a radical enactivist approach that avoids characterizing the approximate number system (ANS) as a system for representing number.
Positing numerosities may be metaphysically extravagant; positing representation of numerosities is not
Authors: Brown Simon A. B.
Published: December 2021

Clarke and Beck (C&B) assume that approximate number system (ANS) representations should be assigned referents from our scientific ontology. However, many representations, both in perception and cognition, do not straightforwardly refer to such entities. If we reject C&B's assumption, many possible contents for ANS representations besides number are compatible with the evidence C&B cite.
Conceptual Art and Aesthetic Ideas
Authors: Costello Diarmuid
Published: December 2021

This paper considers whether Kant’s aesthetics withstands the challenge of conceptual art. I begin by looking at two competing views of conceptual art by recent philosophers, before settling on an ‘inclusive’ view of the form: conceptual art includes both ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ non-perceptual art (NPA). I then set out two kinds of conceptual complexity that I argue are implicated by all aesthetic judgements of art (as art) on Kant’s view: the concept of art itself, and the idea the work is meant to express (dependent beauty and aesthetic ideas, respectively). I go on to demonstrate the applicability of Kant’s aesthetics to conceptual art by considering two works by Lawrence Weiner, which I take to be a work of work of weak and strong NPA respectively.
A brief epistemological discussion of astrotheology in the light of astrobiology
Authors: Chon-Torres Octavio A. , Szocik Konrad
Published: December 2021

Astrotheology is presented as a discipline of study that manages to complement theology and science. It considers that each one has its own role and that as long as there is no reductionism that wants to monopolize the place of the other, fluid communication between both is possible. Therefore, it is worth examining epistemologically astrotheology in the light of astrobiology. To achieve this, we will highlight the aspect of experience in order to relate it to transdisciplinarity.
For Science and Country: History Writing, Nation Building, and National Embeddedness in Third Republic France, 1870–1914
Authors: Lancereau Guillaume
Published: December 2021

This article examines late nineteenth and early twentieth-century historiographical practices and convictions in Third Republic France. It shifts the focus from the question of whether French academic historians were nationalists to the issue of how they were nationalists. If republican academic historians took a critical stance on nationalist distortions of the past, they nevertheless associated the teaching of history with patriotism and opposed historiographical “pan-Germanism” in ways favorable to French cultural and territorial claims. Meanwhile, the growing internationalization of the field stimulated scholarly competition across the West and spurred reflections about nationals’ epistemological privilege over national histories, methodological nationalism, and the invention of national historiographical traditions. Uncovering the anxieties of continual debate with foreign historians and the nationalist right wing, this article offers a prehistory of present-day dilemmas over global, national, and nationalist histories in an international field characterized by structural inequalities and academic competition.
From Extraordinary Success to No Considerable Results: Victorian Music Entrepreneurialism and the Crystal Palace Brass Band Competition 1860–1863
Authors: Boardman Philip
Published: December 2021

The July 1860 Crystal Palace Brass Band contest brought brass bands out of their heartlands to London in unprecedented numbers,The Times(12 July 1860, 9), lauding its success as ‘quite extraordinary’. This landmark event was repeated in three successive years, but in 1863 it was abruptly terminated, and no cogent explanation has been established for its failure. The entrepreneur organizing the contests, Enderby Jackson, later wrote in his autobiography that other business dealings prevented him from further involvement in the series. Jackson had made full use of his talents and contacts to bring these remarkable working-class musical ensembles to the emergent national attraction that was the Crystal Palace. However, Jackson's manipulation of publicity and managerial style obstruct easy analysis of the contests. Moreover, Jackson later sought to protect his legacy by conjuring a smokescreen in his memoirs to obscure the real reasons for the failure of the Crystal Palace contests after 1863.

The entrepreneurial environment is never a stable one, and it should not be presumed that the accolades accorded to the opening contest would translate into its continuance on an annual basis. However, the fact that the contests were attended by many thousands of visitors each year and Jackson's assertion that they were a financial success stand in stark contrast to what is implied by their sudden end. This article demonstrates how close examination of previously unconsidered letters, surviving documentation, and other sources cast doubt on whether the contest series was ever an extraordinary success.
Moral Minds in Gaming
Authors: Holl Elisabeth , Melzer André
Published: December 2021

Abstract. Games including meaningful narratives and moral decisions have become increasingly popular. This case study examines (a) the prevalence of morality and moral foundations, (b) player decisions when encountering moral options, and (c) the influence of contextual factors (i.e., time pressure, played avatar, and humanness of nonplayable characters) on moral decision-making in the popular video game Detroit: Become Human. Based on extensive coding of available world statistics we identified 73.21% morally relevant (vs. morally irrelevant) decisions in the game with a high prevalence for harm- and authority-related situations. Although players had an overall tendency to engage in moral behavior, they were more likely to act “good” when under time pressure and if nonhuman characters were involved. Our findings are discussed with regard to common theories of morality. Results support the notion that prior theoretical assumptions may be successfully mapped onto top-selling video games.
High‐Precision Earthquake Location Using Source‐Specific Station Terms and Inter‐Event Waveform Similarity
Authors: Lomax Anthony , Savvaidis Alexandros
Published: December 2021

Earthquake monitoring and many seismological studies depend on earthquake locations from phase arrival‐times. We present an extended, arrival‐time earthquake location procedure (NLL‐SSST‐coherence) which approaches the precision of differential‐timing based, relative location methods. NLL‐SSST‐coherence is based on the probabilistic, global‐search NonLinLoc (NLL) location algorithm which defines a probability density function (PDF) in 3D space for hypocenter location and is highly robust to outlier data. NLL‐SSST‐coherence location first reduces velocity model error through iteratively generated, smooth, source‐specific, station travel‐time corrections (SSST). Next, arrival‐time error is reduced by consolidating location information across events based on inter‐event waveform coherency. If the waveforms at a station for multiple events are very similar (have high coherency) up to a given frequency, then the distance separating these “multiplet” events is small relative to the seismic wavelength at that frequency. NLL‐coherence relocation for a target event is a stack over 3D space of the NLL‐SSST location PDF for the event and the PDF's for other multiplet events, each weighted by its waveform coherency with the target. NLL‐coherence relocation requires waveforms from only one or a few seismic stations, enabling precise relocation with sparse networks, for foreshocks and early aftershocks of significant events before installation of temporary stations, and for older data sets with few waveform data. We show the behavior and performance of NLL‐SSST‐coherence with synthetic and ground‐truth tests, and through application and comparison to relative locations for California earthquake sequences with dense and sparse station coverage.
Comparison of Deep Learning Techniques for the Investigation of a Seismic Sequence: An Application to the 2019, Mw 4.5 Mugello (Italy) Earthquake
Authors: Cianetti S. , Bruni R. , Gaviano S. , Keir D. , Piccinini D. , Saccorotti G. , Giunchi C.
Published: December 2021

The increase of available seismic data prompts the need for automatic processing procedures to fully exploit them. A good example is aftershock sequences recorded by temporary seismic networks, whose thorough analysis is challenging because of the high seismicity rate and station density. Here, we test the performance of two recent Deep Learning algorithms, the Generalized Phase Detection and Earthquake Transformer, for automatic seismic phases identification. We use data from the December 2019 Mugello basin (Northern Apennines, Italy) swarm, recorded on 13 permanent and nine temporary stations, applying these automatic procedures under different network configurations. As a benchmark, we use a catalog of 279 manually repicked earthquakes reported by the Italian National Seismic Network. Due to the ability of deep learning techniques to identify earthquakes under poor signal‐to‐noise‐ratio (SNR) conditions, we obtain: (a) a factor 3 increase in the number of locations with respect to INGV bulletin and (b) a factor 4 increase when stations from the temporary network are added. Comparison between deep learning and manually picked arrival times shows a mean difference of 0.02–0.04 s and a variance in the range 0.02–0.07 s. The improvement in magnitude completeness is ∼0.5 units. The deep learning algorithms were originally trained using data sets from different regions of the world: our results indicate that these can be successfully applied in our case, without any significant modification. Deep learning algorithms are efficient and accurate tools for data reprocessing in order to better understand the space‐time evolution of earthquake sequences.
Wave‐Current Interactions During Hurricanes Earl and Igor in the Northwest Atlantic
Authors: Lin Shangfei , Sheng Jinyu , Ohashi Kyoko , Song Qingtao
Published: December 2021

Interactions between surface waves and ocean currents over the northwest Atlantic during Hurricanes Earl and Igor (2010) are investigated using a coupled wave‐circulation model and observational data. Our results show that the coupled model improves the model performance in simulating the surface waves, sea level, water temperature, and salinity. By including the wave‐current interactions (WCIs), the maximum significant wave heights (SWHs) are reduced by more than 10% along the storm tracks and more than 20% over eddies. In the Gulf of Maine (GoM), the simulated SWHs and peak wave periods are also modulated by strong tidal currents. Surface waves, in turn, reduce the semidiurnal tidal amplitudes (up to ∼9%) and currents (up to ∼40%) in the GoM due mainly to the wave‐enhanced bottom stress. Surface waves also increase the peak storm surge (up to ∼19%) during these hurricanes, which is mostly attributed to the wave‐induced forces through Stokes drift and wave dissipation but slightly compensated by the wave‐enhanced bottom stress. The hurricane‐driven surface currents are modulated by waves toward the clockwise direction with a decrease in current speeds of more than ∼60%. This is attributed to the reduced current shear and density gradient resulting from mixing enhanced by wave breaking, but compensated by wave‐induced forces. Salinity and temperature are also modulated by surface waves, mostly through the wave‐induced forces and enhanced mixing by wave breaking. Overall, the coupled model produces higher surface salinity and stronger surface cooling due to the inclusion of the WCIs.
Single-cell characterization of monolayer cultured human dental pulp stem cells with enhanced differentiation capacity
Authors: Cui Yu , Ji Wei , Gao Yongyan , Xiao Yao , Liu Huan , Chen Zhi
Published: December 2021

Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are easily obtained multipotent cells, however, their potential value in regenerative medicine is hindered by the phenotypic and functional changes after conventional monolayer expansion. Here, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to comprehensively study the transcriptional difference between the freshly isolated and monolayer cultured DPSCs. The cell cluster analysis based on our scRNA-seq data showed that monolayer culture resulted in a significant cellular composition switch compared to the freshly isolated DPSCs. However, one subpopulation, characterized as MCAM(+)JAG(+)PDGFRA(−), maintained the most transcriptional characteristics compared to their freshly isolated counterparts. Notably, immunofluorescent staining revealed that the MCAM(+)JAG(+)PDGFRA(−) hDPSCs uniquely located in the perivascular region of human dental pulp tissue. Flow-cytometry analysis confirmed that their proportion remained relatively stable (~2%) regardless of physiological senescence or dental caries. Consistent with the annotation of scRNA-seq data, MCAM(+)JAG(+)PDGFRA(−) hDPSCs showed higher proliferation capacity and enhanced in vitro multilineage differentiation potentials (osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic) compared with their counterparts PDGFRA(+) subpopulation. Furthermore, the MCAM(+)JAG(+)PDGFRA(−) hDPSCs showed enhanced bone tissue formation and adipose tissue formation after 4-week subcutaneous implantation in nude mice. Taken together, our study for the first time revealed the cellular composition switch of monolayer cultured hDPSCs compared to the freshly isolated hDPSCs. After in vitro expansion, the MCAM(+)JAG(+)PDGFRA(−) subpopulation resembled the most transcriptional characteristics of fresh hDPSCs which may be beneficial for further tissue regeneration applications.
A Delphi-method-based consensus guideline for definition of treatment-resistant depression for clinical trials
Authors: Sforzini Luca , Worrell Courtney , Kose Melisa , Anderson Ian M. , Aouizerate Bruno , Arolt Volker , Bauer Michael , Baune Bernhard T. , Blier Pierre , Cleare Anthony J. , Cowen Philip J. , Dinan Timothy G. , Fagiolini Andrea , Ferrier I. Nicol , Hegerl Ulrich , Krystal Andrew D. , Leboyer Marion , McAllister-Williams R. Hamish , McIntyre Roger S. , Meyer-Lindenberg Andreas , Miller Andrew H. , Nemeroff Charles B. , Normann Claus , Nutt David , Pallanti Stefano , Pani Luca , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , Schatzberg Alan F. , Shelton Richard C. , Yatham Lakshmi N. , Young Allan H. , Zahn Roland , Aislaitner Georgios , Butlen-Ducuing Florence , Fletcher Christine , Haberkamp Marion , Laughren Thomas , Mäntylä Fanni-Laura , Schruers Koen , Thomson Andrew , Arteaga-Henríquez Gara , Benedetti Francesco , Cash-Gibson Lucinda , Chae Woo Ri , De Smedt Heidi , Gold Stefan M. , Hoogendijk Witte J. G. , Mondragón Valeria Jordán , Maron Eduard , Martynowicz Jadwiga , Melloni Elisa , Otte Christian , Perez-Fuentes Gabriela , Poletti Sara , Schmidt Mark E. , van de Ketterij Edwin , Woo Katherine , Flossbach Yanina , Ramos-Quiroga J. Antoni , Savitz Adam J. , Pariante Carmine M.
Published: December 2021

Criteria for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and partially responsive depression (PRD) as subtypes of major depressive disorder (MDD) are not unequivocally defined. In the present document we used a Delphi-method-based consensus approach to define TRD and PRD and to serve as operational criteria for future clinical studies, especially if conducted for regulatory purposes. We reviewed the literature and brought together a group of international experts (including clinicians, academics, researchers, employees of pharmaceutical companies, regulatory bodies representatives, and one person with lived experience) to evaluate the state-of-the-art and main controversies regarding the current classification. We then provided recommendations on how to design clinical trials, and on how to guide research in unmet needs and knowledge gaps. This report will feed into one of the main objectives of the EUropean Patient-cEntric clinicAl tRial pLatforms, Innovative Medicines Initiative (EU-PEARL, IMI) MDD project, to design a protocol for platform trials of new medications for TRD/PRD.
Nuplazid suppresses esophageal squamous cell carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo by targeting PAK4
Authors: Wei Yaxing , Wu Wenjie , Jiang Yanan , Zhou Hao , Yu Yin , Zhao Lili , Wu Xiangyu , Lu Xuebo , Yuan Qiang , Wang Zitong , Dong Zigang , He Luyun , Zhao Jimin , Liu Kangdong
Published: December 2021

Background

Due to the high recurrence and low 5-year survival rates of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after treatment, the discovery of novel drugs for recurrence chemoprevention is of particular importance.

Methods

We screened the FDA-approved drug library and found that Nuplazid, an atypical antipsychotic that acts as an effective 5-HT 2 A receptor inverse agonist, could potentially exert anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo on ESCC.

Results

Pull-down results indicated that Nuplazid binds with p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), and a kinase assay showed that Nuplazid strongly suppressed PAK4 kinase activity. Moreover, Nuplazid exhibited inhibitory effects on ESCC in vivo.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that Nuplazid can suppress ESCC progression through targeting PAK4.