bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Process for Institutional Adoption and Diffusion of Blended Learning in Higher Education
Authors: Ali Ramiz , Georgiou Helen
Published: May 2024

Blended learning has emerged as a prominent feature in higher education over the past decade, aiming to enhance students’ learning experiences and improve outcomes. It has been adopted at various levels within universities, with an increasing trend of institutional adoption. Despite its prevalence, scholars have expressed concerns about our limited understanding of blended learning beyond small-scale and individual applications. Drawing on Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory, this case study explores the intricate process of adoption and implementation of blended learning within a university. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 24 lecturers and six university executives involved in a university-wide initiative for blended learning. The interviews were analysed using a thematic pattern matching technique. In addition, a variety of relevant university documents were gathered and analysed using a content analysis method. Results reveal that despite some hesitancies among lecturers, the process of adoption of blended learning was supported by a well-justified strategy, investment in infrastructure, and provision of continued lecturer support. Viewing these results through the lens of Roger’s stage model highlights a lack of a proper ‘matching’ stage, reflecting a failure to engage lecturers in adoption decision-making and incorporate their feedback into the blended learning strategy.
The politics of allyship: Multiethnic coalitions and mass attitudes toward protest
Authors: Manekin Devorah , Mitts Tamar , Zeira Yael
Published: May 2024

Recent work finds that nonviolent resistance by ethnic minorities is perceived as more violent and requiring more policing than identical resistance by ethnic majorities, reducing its impact and effectiveness. We ask whether allies—advantaged group participants in disadvantaged group movements—can mitigate these barriers. On the one hand, allies can counter negative stereotypes and defuse threat perceptions among advantaged group members, while raising expectations of success and lowering expected risks among disadvantaged group members. On the other hand, allies can entail significant costs, carrying risks of cooptation, replication of power hierarchies, and marginalization of core constituencies. To shed light on this question we draw on the case of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, which, in 2020, attracted unprecedented White participation. Employing a national survey experiment, we find that sizeable White presence at racial justice protests increases protest approval, reduces perceptions of violence, and raises the likelihood of participation among White audiences, while not causing significant backlash among Black audiences. Black respondents mostly see White presence as useful for advancing the movement’s goals, and predominant White presence reduces expectations that protests will be forcefully repressed. We complement these results with analysis of tens of thousands of images shared on social media during the 2020 BLM protests, finding a significant association between the presence of Whites in the images and user engagement and amplification. The findings suggest that allyship can be a powerful tool for promoting sociopolitical change amid deep structural inequality.
3D intrusions transport active surface microbial assemblages to the dark ocean
Authors: Freilich Mara A. , Poirier Camille , Dever Mathieu , Alou-Font Eva , Allen John , Cabornero Andrea , Sudek Lisa , Choi Chang Jae , Ruiz Simón , Pascual Ananda , Farrar J. Thomas , Johnston T. M. Shaun , D’Asaro Eric A. , Worden Alexandra Z. , Mahadevan Amala
Published: May 2024

Subtropical oceans contribute significantly to global primary production, but the fate of the picophytoplankton that dominate in these low-nutrient regions is poorly understood. Working in the subtropical Mediterranean, we demonstrate that subduction of water at ocean fronts generates 3D intrusions with uncharacteristically high carbon, chlorophyll, and oxygen that extend below the sunlit photic zone into the dark ocean. These contain fresh picophytoplankton assemblages that resemble the photic-zone regions where the water originated. Intrusions propagate depth-dependent seasonal variations in microbial assemblages into the ocean interior. Strikingly, the intrusions included dominant biomass contributions from nonphotosynthetic bacteria and enrichment of enigmatic heterotrophic bacterial lineages. Thus, the intrusions not only deliver material that differs in composition and nutritional character from sinking detrital particles, but also drive shifts in bacterial community composition, organic matter processing, and interactions between surface and deep communities. Modeling efforts paired with global observations demonstrate that subduction can flux similar magnitudes of particulate organic carbon as sinking export, but is not accounted for in current export estimates and carbon cycle models. Intrusions formed by subduction are a particularly important mechanism for enhancing connectivity between surface and upper mesopelagic ecosystems in stratified subtropical ocean environments that are expanding due to the warming climate.
Improved filtering methods to suppress cardiovascular contamination in electrical impedance tomography recordings
Authors: Wisse Jantine J , Somhorst Peter , Behr Joris , van Nieuw Amerongen Arthur R , Gommers Diederik , Jonkman Annemijn H
Published: May 2024

Objective. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) produces clinical useful visualization of the distribution of ventilation inside the lungs. The accuracy of EIT-derived parameters can be compromised by the cardiovascular signal. Removal of these artefacts is challenging due to spectral overlapping of the ventilatory and cardiovascular signal components and their time-varying frequencies. We designed and evaluated advanced filtering techniques and hypothesized that these would outperform traditional low-pass filters. Approach. Three filter techniques were developed and compared against traditional low-pass filtering: multiple digital notch filtering (MDN), empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and the maximal overlap discrete wavelet transform (MODWT). The performance of the filtering techniques was evaluated (1) in the time domain (2) in the frequency domain (3) by visual inspection. We evaluated the performance using simulated contaminated EIT data and data from 15 adult and neonatal intensive care unit patients. Main result. Each filter technique exhibited varying degrees of effectiveness and limitations. Quality measures in the time domain showed the best performance for MDN filtering. The signal to noise ratio was best for DLP, but at the cost of a high relative and removal error. MDN outbalanced the performance resulting in a good SNR with a low relative and removal error. MDN, EMD and MODWT performed similar in the frequency domain and were successful in removing the high frequency components of the data. Significance. Advanced filtering techniques have benefits compared to traditional filters but are not always better. MDN filtering outperformed EMD and MODWT regarding quality measures in the time domain. This study emphasizes the need for careful consideration when choosing a filtering approach, depending on the dataset and the clinical/research question.
Additive effect of poly(N-methylaniline) coated Fe3O4 composite particles on carbonyl iron based magnetorheological fluid
Authors: Wang Shizhao , Park ChaeWon , Kwon Yong Ku , Jin Hyoung-Joon , Lee Jin-Kyun , Choi Hyoung Jin
Published: May 2024

Poly(N-methylaniline) (PNMA) coated magnetite (Fe3O4) (PNMA@Fe3O4) composite particles synthesized through both chemical oxidative polymerization and chemical co-precipitation processes were used as a magnetic additive for carbonyl iron (CI)-based magnetorheological (MR) fluid. The effect of the additive’s content on the rheological characteristics of the MR fluid in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field was studied along with its effect on the sedimentation ratio compared with that of CI-based MR fluid. Shear stress curves as a function of the shear rate of the CI-based MR fluids with the additive were found to be well-fitted by the Herschel–Bulkley equation and the slope of the dynamic yield stress was determined to be 2.0. The curves also showed yield stresses higher than those of the CI-based MR fluid for different magnetic field strengths. Specifically, the CI-based MR fluid with 1.0 wt% additive showed the highest yield stress and the best solid-like properties among the tested samples. Furthermore, the sedimentation issue for the CI-based MR fluid was found to improve significantly, especially for the lowest settling rate of the MR fluid with 1.0 wt% additive. The addition of 1.0 wt% PNMA@Fe3O4 additive resulted in the CI-based MR fluid exhibiting the best properties, owing to improved rheological features and a reduced sedimentation rate.
Representation of solutions to fuzzy linear fractional differential equations with a piecewise constant argument
Authors: Van Phut Lai
Published: May 2024

This study marks the first exploration of fuzzy linear fractional differential equations with a piecewise constant argument (FLFDEs-PCA), incorporating the concept of Caputo’s type gH-differentiability with the order α ∈ (0, 1]. Such problems are noteworthy as they represent hybrid systems, blending the characteristics of continuous and discrete dynamical systems and integrating aspects from both differential and difference equations. The primary objective of this research is to establish a standardized framework for deriving explicit solution formulas for FLFDEs-PCA under various scenarios. Additionally, illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the practical implications of our theoretical findings.
The energy dissipation of a test-charge particle within a dense, degenerate electron- positron-ion plasma
Authors: Ali S , Hafeez S , Khan Majid
Published: May 2024

The energy loss of a moving test-charge particle is studied in a degenerate quantized plasma, whose constituents are the electrons, positrons, and ions. The electrons and positrons are assumed to be quantized and degenerate species, whereas positive ions are treated classically. Relying on the kinetic formalism, an expression for the test-charge potential is derived with a modified dielectric response function involving the ion-acoustic oscillations. The energy loss or stopping power is solvedas a function of a test-charge speed, which is significantly affected by the positron concentration, the electron and positron quantization factors and plasma parameters. It is examined that quantization and quantum parameters lead to the enhancement of energy loss in an electron-positron-ion (EPI) dense plasma. The present findings may prove useful to understand the test-charge response in degenerate dense plasmas, where electrons and positrons are quantized in the strong magnetic fields.
General rotationally symmetric coupled feeding structure and its application to single- and dual-band balanced filters
Authors: Wang Yumin , Gao Xiaohui , Huang Shengxiang , Deng Lianwen , Qiu Lei-Lei
Published: May 2024

This paper proposes a new general rotationally symmetric coupled feeding structure and its applications to the design of single- and dual-band balanced filters for high common-mode (CM) suppression. The balanced feeder consists of two coupling lines coupled with a ring resonator, which can be either a uniform impedance ring resonator or a stepped impedance ring resonator. Under differential-mode (DM) excitation, the voltage distributions of the coupling-line and resonator are both rotationally even-symmetric and the total coupling coefficient adds up, which indicates that the proposed feeding structure can achieve DM transmission characteristic. Under CM excitation, their voltage distributions are rotationally even- and odd-symmetric, respectively, so the total coupling coefficient cancels out to zero and CM suppression property is achieved. For demonstration, four single- and dual-band balanced filters with wide range of CM and harmonic suppression are designed, fabricated, and measured, and the simulation and measured results match well.
Numerical analysis of electrothermoconvection of a dielectric nanofluid in a heated cavity
Authors: Yang Pengfei , Peng Yuxing , Ramachandran Deepak Selvakumar , Alkaabi Ahmed K. , Wu Jian
Published: May 2024

A numerical analysis of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) flow and heat transfer of nanofluid in a heated rectangular cavity is presented. A two-dimensional (2D) rectangular cavity heated from the bottom is considered. An electric potential difference is applied vertically, with the bottom wall acting as a high-voltage electrode, and the top wall is grounded. TiO2-25 # transformer oil nanofluid with nanoparticle volume fraction ranging from 0–5% is considered. The numerical model for EHD flow and heat transfer of nanofluid is implemented in the finite-volume method (FVM) based numerical framework of OpenFOAM. A single-phase approach based on the effective properties is adopted to model the nanofluids. A two-way coupled EHD flow model is employed to consider mutual interactions of flow and electric field variables. The flow and heat transfer behavior of nanofluids in the presence of an electric field is quantified with reference to the key parameters, electric Rayleigh number (T), and the nanoparticle volume fraction ϕ. The addition of nanoparticles increased the viscosity and marginally reduced the natural convective flow and heat transfer. However, EHD flow induced by the electric field aided in overcoming the weak natural convection flow in nanofluids. Results confirm that nanofluids’ net effective heat transfer rates are notably increased in the presence of the electric field. For the parameters under consideration, combining electric fields with nanofluids led to a significant heat transfer enhancement of up to 32.3%. The present study showcases the feasibility of combining passive heat transfer enhancement using nanoparticles and active heat transfer enhancement using EHD flow.
Growth of variable aspect ratio ZnO nanorods by hydrothermal technique
Authors: Al-Rasheedi Asmaa , Salwati Abdulla A , Aida M S
Published: May 2024

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were successfully prepared by hydrothermal process. The influence of the solution temperature on the ZnO nanorods aspect ratio is investigated in the present work. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results and analysis reveal the formation of ZnO nanorods owing hexagonal Wurtzite structure with preferential orientation along the c-axis. We found that the solution temperature is a key parameter controlling the aspect ratio of the formed ZnO nanorods. The later increases linearly with the preparation temperature. The rod length is thermally activated with an activation energy of 0.48 eV, which corresponds to the activation energy of the reaction forming ZnO, indicating that the nanorods growth is controlled by the surface reaction rather than by mass transport. While, the rods diameter is reduced with increasing temperature, its activation energy of 0.23 eV is equal to the species diffusion activation energy in the solution and to the crystallite size activation energy suggesting, thereafter that the rod diameter variation is controlled by the nucleation dynamic.
Proxy-SU(4) symmetry in A = 60–90 region
Authors: Kota V K B , Sahu R
Published: May 2024

Applications of the proxy-SU(3) model of Bonatsos and collaborators to nuclei in A = 60–90 region introduces proxy-SU(4) symmetry. Shell model spaces with single particle orbits 1
p
3/2, 1
p
1/2, 0
f
5/2 and 0
g
9/2 are essential for these nuclei and also protons and neutrons in this region occupy the same single particle orbits. With this and applying the ‘proxy scheme’, the 0
g
9/2 changes to 0
f
7/2 giving the spectrum generating algebra U(40) ⊃ [U(10) ⊃ G ⊃ SO(3)] ⨂ [SU

ST
(4) ⊃ SU

S
(2) ⨂ SU

T
(2)]. With G = SU(3), we have the proxy-SU(3) model. It is easy to see that proxy-SU(3) symmetry implies goodness of the SU(4) symmetry appearing above, i.e. proxy-SU(4) symmetry. Shell model calculations pointing out the need for 0
g
9/2 orbit, ground state masses, shape changes and shape co-existence in A = 60–90 region and GT distributions clearly show the importance of proxy-SU(4) in this mass region. Besides presenting this evidence, new proxy schemes with G = SU(5), SO(6) and SO(10) that are generated by good proxy-SU(4) symmetry are described in some detail. An important feature is that the four proxy symmetries SU(3), SO(6), SU(5) and SO(10) appear twice.
Harmonic analysis of discrete tracers of large-scale structure
Authors: Baleato Lizancos Antón , White Martin
Published: May 2024

It is commonplace in cosmology to analyze fields projected onto the celestial sphere, and in particular density fields that are defined by a set of points e.g. galaxies. When performing an harmonic-space analysis of such data (e.g. an angular power spectrum) using a pixelized map one has to deal with aliasing of small-scale power and pixel window functions. We compare and contrast the approaches to this problem taken in the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure communities, and advocate for a direct approach that avoids pixelization. We describe a method for performing a pseudo-spectrum analysis of a galaxy data set and show that it can be implemented efficiently using well-known algorithms for special functions that are suited to acceleration by graphics processing units (GPUs). The method returns the same spectra as the more traditional map-based approach if in the latter the number of pixels is taken to be sufficiently large and the mask is well sampled. The method is readily generalizable to cross-spectra and higher-order functions. It also provides a convenient route for distributing the information in a galaxy catalog directly in harmonic space, as a complement to releasing the configuration-space positions and weights, and a route to spectral apodization. We make public a code enabling the application of our method to existing and upcoming datasets.
A pilot search for MeV gamma-ray emission from five galaxy clusters using archival COMPTEL data
Authors: Manna Siddhant , Desai Shantanu
Published: May 2024

We search for MeV gamma-ray emission between 0.75–30 MeV from five galaxy clusters, viz. Coma, VIRGO, SPT-CL J2012-5649, Bullet, and El Gordo, using archival data from the COMPTEL telescope. For this purpose we use three search templates: point source, radial disk and radial Gaussian. We do not detect any signals from Coma, SPT-CL J2012-5649, Bullet and El Gordo clusters with the 95% c.l. photon energy flux limit ∼ 10-10erg/cm2/s.
For VIRGO, we detect a non-zero signal between 0.75 to 1.50 MeV having marginal significance of about 2.5σ, with the observed energy flux equal to ∼ 10-9 ergs/cm2/s. However, we do not confirm the previously reported evidence in literature for a gamma-ray line from Coma and VIRGO clusters between 5–7 MeV.
Exploring the detection of AQNs in large liquid detectors
Authors: Lazanu I. , Parvu M.
Published: May 2024

Recent work from the last years has raised the possibility that a portion of Dark Matter could consist of exotic particles, such as axion (anti)quark nuggets (AQN, AQ̅N). After a brief review outlining the main features of axion antiquark nuggets, we explore potential experimental signatures that can be leveraged to search for these stable supermassive particles in future surface and underground experiments using large liquid detectors. These expected signals are discussed in relation with the specific characteristics of each detection system.
Kerr black hole shadows from axion-photon coupling
Authors: Chen Songbai , Jing Jiliang
Published: May 2024

We have investigated the motion for photons in the Kerr black hole spacetime under the
axion-photon coupling. The birefringence phenomena arising from the axion-photon coupling can be
negligible in the weak coupling approximation because the leading-order contributions to the
equations of motion come from the square term of the coupling parameter. We find that the
coupling parameter makes the size of shadows slightly increase for arbitrary spin parameter. For
the rapid rotating black hole case with a larger coupling, we find that there exist a
“pedicel”-like structure appeared in the left of the “D”-type like shadows. Comparing the
shadow size of the Kerr black hole with the shadow size of the Sgr A* and M87* black holes, we
make constraints on the parameter space for such a theoretical model of the
axion-photon coupling.
A viscoelastic nonlinear energy sink with an electromagnetic energy harvester: Narrow-band random response
Authors: Liao 廖 Zhi-Jing 志晶 , Sun 孙 Ya-Hui 亚辉 , Liu 刘 Yang 洋
Published: May 2024

Nonlinear energy sink is a passive energy absorption device that surpasses linear dampers, and has gained significant attention in various fields of vibration suppression. This is owing to its capacity to offer high vibration attenuation and robustness across a wide frequency spectrum. Energy harvester is a device employed to convert kinetic energy into usable electric energy. In this paper, we propose an electromagnetic energy harvester enhanced viscoelastic nonlinear energy sink (VNES) to achieve passive vibration suppression and energy harvesting simultaneously. A critical departure from prior studies is the investigation of the stochastic P-bifurcation of the electromechanically coupled VNES system under narrow-band random excitation. Initially, approximate analytical solutions are derived using a combination of a multiple-scale method and a perturbation approach. The substantial agreement between theoretical analysis solutions and numerical solutions obtained from Monte Carlo simulation underscores the method’s high degree of validity. Furthermore, the effects of system parameters on system responses are carefully examined. Additionally, we demonstrate that stochastic P-bifurcation can be induced by system parameters, which is further verified by the steady-state density functions of displacement. Lastly, we analyze the impacts of various parameters on the mean square current and the mean output power, which are crucial for selecting suitable parameters to enhance the energy harvesting performance.
Negative muon beam generation with muon catalyzed fusion
Authors: Mori Yoshiharu , Uesugi Tomonori , Ishi Yoshihiro
Published: May 2024

A new scheme of low energy negative muon source with muon
catalyzed fusion (MuCF) is described. In the MuCF reaction process,
muonic helium ions (μHe+) are created. By re-accelerating
and stripping μHe+ ions, a low emittance negative muon beam
is generated.
Recent advances in cell membrane camouflaged nanotherapeutics for the treatment of bacterial infection
Authors: Jia Yinan , Zhang Li , Xu Junhua , Xiang Lin
Published: May 2024

Infectious diseases caused by bacterial infections are common in clinical practice. Cell membrane coating nanotechnology represents a pioneering approach for the delivery of therapeutic agents without being cleared by the immune system in the meantime. And the mechanism of infection treatment should be divided into two parts: suppression of pathogenic bacteria and suppression of excessive immune response. The membrane-coated nanoparticles exert anti-bacterial function by neutralizing exotoxins and endotoxins, and some other bacterial proteins. Inflammation, the second procedure of bacterial infection, can also be suppressed through targeting the inflamed site, neutralization of toxins, and the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. And platelet membrane can affect the complement process to suppress inflammation. Membrane-coated nanoparticles treat bacterial infections through the combined action of membranes and nanoparticles, and diagnose by imaging, forming a theranostic system. Several strategies have been discovered to enhance the anti-bacterial/anti-inflammatory capability, such as synthesizing the material through electroporation, pretreating with the corresponding pathogen, membrane hybridization, or incorporating with genetic modification, lipid insertion, and click chemistry. Here we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding the application of membrane-coated nanoparticles in preventing bacterial infections as well as addressing existing uncertainties and misconceptions.
Baxter Q-operator for the hyperbolic Calogero–Moser system
*
Authors: Hallnäs Martin
Published: May 2024

We introduce a Q-operator

Q

z

for the hyperbolic Calogero–Moser system as a one-parameter family of explicit integral operators. We establish the standard properties of a Q-operator, i.e. invariance of Hamiltonians, commutativity for different parameter values and that its eigenvalues satisfy an explicitly given first order ordinary difference equation in the parameter z.
Fluorescence in depth: integration of spectroscopy and imaging with Raman, IR, and CD for advanced research
Authors: Aeindartehran Lida , Sadri Zahra , Rahimi Fateme , Alinejad Tahereh
Published: May 2024

Fluorescence spectroscopy serves as a vital technique for studying the interaction between light and fluorescent molecules. It encompasses a range of methods, each presenting unique advantages and applications. This technique finds utility in various chemical studies. This review discusses Fluorescence spectroscopy, its branches such as Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy (TRFS) and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM), and their integration with other spectroscopic methods, including Raman, Infrared (IR), and Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopies. By delving into these methods, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the capabilities and significance of fluorescence spectroscopy in scientific research, highlighting its diverse applications and the enhanced understanding it brings when combined with other spectroscopic methods. This review looks at each technique's unique features and applications. It discusses the prospects of their combined use in advancing scientific understanding and applications across various domains.
The effect of molecular weight of chitosan on the size of chitosan-Cu2+ complex-stabilized sulfur nanoparticles
Authors: Tran Phuoc Tho , Nguyen Hong Nhung , Le Nghiem Anh Tuan , Bui Duy Du , Nguyen Quoc Hien
Published: May 2024

Chitosan (CS) samples with average molecular weight (Mw) of 80.4, 61.8, and 45.2 kDa were prepared by the heterogeneous degradation of CS using 1% H2O2 solution under ambient conditions. The degree of deacetylation (DD) of the resultant CS was almost unchanged compared with that of the original CS. The sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) were prepared by acidification of sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) in a CS-Cu2+ complex solution. The influence of Mw CS on the size of SNPs was investigated. The average size of the SNPs/CS-Cu2+ complexes measured through Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images was 25.1, 32.3, and 48.3 nm for using CS with Mw of 80.4, 61.8, and 45.2 kDa, respectively. The obtained SNPs/CS-Cu2+ complexes were also characterized by Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The synthetic method is favorable for large-scale production. Furthermore, the SNPs/CS-Cu2+ complex can be used as an agent for controlling plant disease in agriculture.
Developing and validating multi-omics prediction models for late patient-reported dysphagia in head and neck radiotherapy
Authors: Paetkau Owen , Weppler Sarah , Quon Harvey C , Tchistiakova Ekaterina , Kirkby Charles
Published: May 2024

Background and purpose. To investigate models developed using radiomic and dosiomic (multi-omics) features from planning and treatment imaging for late patient-reported dysphagia in head and neck radiotherapy. Materials and methods. Training (n = 64) and testing (n = 23) cohorts of head and neck cancer patients treated with curative intent chemo-radiotherapy with a follow-up time greater than 12 months were retrospectively examined. Patients completed the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory and a composite score ≤60 was interpreted as patient-reported dysphagia. A chart review collected baseline dysphagia and clinical factors. Multi-omic features were extracted from planning and last synthetic CT images using the pharyngeal constrictor muscle contours as a region of interest. Late patient-reported dysphagia models were developed using a random forest backbone, with feature selection and up-sampling methods to account for the imbalanced data. Models were developed and validated for multi-omic feature combinations for both timepoints. Results. A clinical and radiomic feature model developed using the planning CT achieved good performance (validation: sensitivity = 80 ± 27% / balanced accuracy = 71 ± 23%, testing: sensitivity = 80 ± 10% / balanced accuracy = 73 ± 11%). The synthetic CT models did not show improvement over the plan CT multi-omics models, with poor reliability of the radiomic features on these images. Dosiomic features extracted from the synthetic CT showed promise in predicting late patient-reported dysphagia. Conclusion. Multi-omics models can predict late patient-reported dysphagia in head and neck radiotherapy patients. Synthetic CT dosiomic features show promise in developing successful models to account for changes in delivered dose distribution. Multi-center or prospective studies are required prior to clinical implementation of these models.
Topological photonic encoder based on the disclination states
Authors: Si Guoxiang , Zhao Wen , Zhang Hongyu , Lu Cuicui
Published: May 2024

Topological disclination states are highly localized and stable by means of introducing disclination, which provide a robust platform for realizing optical information transition. A photonic encoder, as a kind of optical information transition element, can record, transmit, and protect optical information. However, there is no effective methods to realize topological photonic encoders. In this work, we propose a method to realize topological photonic encoder through topological disclination states. After the introduction of a disclination in the honeycomb structure, four types of disclination states can be generated. To demonstrate the device to carry more information, nine disclination structures with different cylindrical radii are combined, and the disclination states can be denoted by digital signals 1–4 to prepare a topological photonic encoder. In addition, to improve the security of information transition, we build an encryption algorithm based on Morse code. This work provides a new idea for the construction of encoding devices and promotes the practical application of the topological disclination states.
Design and analysis of a conical origami tube (COT) composed of quadrilateral unit cells
Authors: Jiang Cuiying , Wang Decheng , Cheng Peng , Qiu Lifang , Li Chongxiang
Published: May 2024

Kresling origami is a topic that is constantly being researched, especially when it comes to the cylindrical mechanisms made up of special quadrilateral units. It’s also fascinating that the conical mechanisms based on the Kresling pattern are gaining more attention lately. However, designing conical mechanisms with stable behavior and solving the stress concentration in crease areas for practical engineering applications remains less researched. Therefore, this study considers quadrilateral unit cells as the research object, designs a conical origami tube (COT), and establishes a theoretical model with five variables to systematically investigate the COT. Based on this, the design domain related to the design variables is proposed, and the COT is analyzed in three cases. We further explored the influence of η (conical degree) on the COT. In addition, this study implements a cutting design on each crease vertex to reduce the impact of stress concentration on the nonlinear response through finite element shell models and uniaxial compression experiments. The findings of this study reveal that the setting of η and the crease-cutting design have a remarkable impact on the mechanical properties and stability behavior.
Moduli of genus six curves and K-stability
Authors: Zhao Junyan
Published: May 2024

The K-moduli theory provides different compactifications of various moduli spaces, including moduli of curves. As a general genus six curve can be canonically embedded into the smooth quintic del Pezzo surface, we study in this paper the K-moduli spaces

M
¯

K

(
c
)

\overline {M}^K(c)

of the quintic log Fano pairs. We classify the strata of genus six curves

C
C

appearing in the K-moduli by explicitly describing the wall-crossing structure. The K-moduli spaces interpolate between two birational moduli spaces constructed by Geometric Invariant Theory (GIT) and moduli of K3 surfaces via Hodge theory.
Understandings of The King Can Do No Wrong in Legal Thinking and Heuristic Model of Crown Liability Derived from Them
Authors: Fortin Marie-France
Published: May 2024

This chapter analyses the various understandings of the king can do no wrong in legal thinking and demonstrates that a heuristic model of crown liability can be derived from them. The model elaborated for the purposes of this book is then explained, based on a conception of crown liability as having two dimensions—substantive and procedural. The model is also based on the observation that three notions associated with the king can do no wrong—the king’s status in relation to law, his perfection, and his immunity from suit—indicate how the king’s capacity to do wrong and his amenability to justice, the two dimensions of crown liability, were understood in legal thinking in given historical periods. The chapter then turns to the model’s use in facilitating the study of the historical evolution of the king can do no wrong in legal thinking in the following chapters of the book.
The King Can Do No Wrong in Legal Thinking in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
Authors: Fortin Marie-France
Published: May 2024

This chapter argues that confused eighteenth- and nineteenth-century legal thinking in relation to the king can do no wrong mutated to the crown can do no wrong and led to the central government’s immunity from suit at the turn of the twentieth century. The chapter analyses important legal treatises from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to show how the seventeenth-century constitutional settlement understanding of the king can do no wrong was misunderstood. The chapter also throws light on Dicey’s influential notion of individual officers’ liability and its enduring consequence for the law of crown liability. The chapter analyses nineteenth- and early twentieth-century cases to demonstrate that the revival of the petition of right has led English courts to obfuscate the issue of the king’s capacity to do wrong—the substantive dimension of crown liability—and to give prominence instead to the procedural dimension of crown liability—the crown’s immunity from suit.
The King Can Do No Wrong’s Travels and Travails Across the Common Law World
Authors: Fortin Marie-France
Published: May 2024

This chapter examines understandings of the king can do no wrong and their evolution in the United States, Ireland, and Australia. The first section of this chapter focusses on how American law retained the feudal element of the king’s immunity from suit while rejecting other understandings of the king can do no wrong. It argues that the American doctrine of sovereign immunity rests on a premise that is most un-English––the sovereign’s status as above the law. The second section recounts how the Republic of Ireland’s courts rejected the king can do no wrong understood as a relic of a feudal monarchical past incompatible with the constitutional commitments of a sovereign, democratic state. The third section analyses understandings of the king can do no wrong in Australia, where legal thinking offers an interesting perspective on the Commonwealth’s capacity to do wrong and its liability for a tort at common law.
Hamilton ParticiNation in Diversity and Its Discontents
Authors: Preston Carrie J
Published: May 2024

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton adapts and redeploys familiar genres, including stories of founding fathers, plays about presidents, and the musical genres of R&B, rap, and Broadway, to create a message of diversity that appeals across cultural and political divides. Revisionary rather than revolutionary, Hamilton takes forms that audiences already love and combines them in ways that suggest a radical stance on race, gender, and sexuality that the musical does not deliver (failing even to meet the Bechdel test). At the same time, the more radical para-Hamilton performances extend audience engagement with the show and allow audiences to participate in somewhat more revolutionary versions of Hamilton.
scX: a user-friendly tool for scRNAseq exploration
Authors: Waichman Tomás V , Vercesi M L , Berardino Ariel A , Beckel Maximiliano S , Giacomini Damiana , Rasetto Natalí B , Herrero Magalí , Di Bella Daniela J , Arlotta Paola , Schinder Alejandro F , Chernomoretz Ariel
Published: May 2024

Motivation

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) has transformed our ability to explore biological systems. Nevertheless, proficient expertise is essential for handling and interpreting the data.

Results

In this article, we present scX, an R package built on the Shiny framework that streamlines the analysis, exploration, and visualization of single-cell experiments. With an interactive graphic interface, implemented as a web application, scX provides easy access to key scRNAseq analyses, including marker identification, gene expression profiling, and differential gene expression analysis. Additionally, scX seamlessly integrates with commonly used single-cell Seurat and SingleCellExperiment R objects, resulting in efficient processing and visualization of varied datasets. Overall, scX serves as a valuable and user-friendly tool for effortless exploration and sharing of single-cell data, simplifying some of the complexities inherent in scRNAseq analysis.

Availability and implementation

Source code can be downloaded from https://github.com/chernolabs/scX. A docker image is available from dockerhub as chernolabs/scx.
Integrated convolution and self-attention for improving peptide toxicity prediction
Authors: Jiao Shihu , Ye Xiucai , Sakurai Tetsuya , Zou Quan , Liu Ruijun
Published: May 2024

Motivation

Peptides are promising agents for the treatment of a variety of diseases due to their specificity and efficacy. However, the development of peptide-based drugs is often hindered by the potential toxicity of peptides, which poses a significant barrier to their clinical application. Traditional experimental methods for evaluating peptide toxicity are time-consuming and costly, making the development process inefficient. Therefore, there is an urgent need for computational tools specifically designed to predict peptide toxicity accurately and rapidly, facilitating the identification of safe peptide candidates for drug development.

Results

We provide here a novel computational approach, CAPTP, which leverages the power of convolutional and self-attention to enhance the prediction of peptide toxicity from amino acid sequences. CAPTP demonstrates outstanding performance, achieving a Matthews correlation coefficient of approximately 0.82 in both cross-validation settings and on independent test datasets. This performance surpasses that of existing state-of-the-art peptide toxicity predictors. Importantly, CAPTP maintains its robustness and generalizability even when dealing with data imbalances. Further analysis by CAPTP reveals that certain sequential patterns, particularly in the head and central regions of peptides, are crucial in determining their toxicity. This insight can significantly inform and guide the design of safer peptide drugs.

Availability and implementation

The source code for CAPTP is freely available at https://github.com/jiaoshihu/CAPTP.
Genomic and transcriptomic significance of multiple primary lung cancers detected by next-generation sequencing in clinical settings
Authors: Yao Meihong , Chen Hu , Chen Zui , Wang Yingying , Shi Dongliang , Wu Dan , Li Wen , Huang Jianping , Chen Guizhen , Zheng Qiaoling , Ye Zhengtao , Zheng Chenxin , Yang Yinghong
Published: May 2024

Effective diagnosis and understanding of the mechanism of intrapulmonary metastasis (IM) from multiple primary lung cancers (MPLC) aid clinical management. However, the actual detection panels used in the clinic are variable. Current research on tumor microenvironment (TME) of MPLC and IM is insufficient. Therefore, additional investigation into the differential diagnosis and discrepancies in TME between two conditions is crucial. Two hundred and fourteen non-small cell lung cancer patients with multiple tumors were enrolled and 507 samples were subjected to DNA sequencing (NGS 10). Then, DNA and RNA sequencing (master panel) were performed on the specimens from 32 patients, the TME profiles between tumors within each patient and across patients and the differentially expressed genes were compared. Four patients were regrouped with NGS 10 results. Master panel resolved the classifications of six undetermined patients. The TME in MPLC exhibited a high degree of infiltration by natural killer (NK) cells, CD56dim NK cells, endothelial cells, etc., P < 0.05. Conversely, B cells, activated B cells, regulatory cells, immature dendritic cells, etc., P < 0.001, were heavily infiltrated in the IM. NECTIN4 and LILRB4 mRNA were downregulated in the MPLC (P < 0.0001). Additionally, NECTIN4 (P < 0.05) and LILRB4 were linked to improved disease-free survival in the MPLC. In conclusion, IM is screened from MPLC by pathology joint NGS 10 detections, followed by a large NGS panel for indistinguishable patients. A superior prognosis of MPLC may be associated with an immune-activating TME and the downregulation of NECTIN4 and LILRB4 considered as potential drug therapeutic targets.
Aerostasis to limit air leak following extended pleurectomy–decortication
Authors: Provoost An-Lies , Bouckaert Andreas , Vanluyten Cedric , Barbarossa Annalisa , Nackaerts Kristiaan , Weynand Birgit , Coolen Johan , Bouneb Sofian , Theisen-Lauk Olivia , Opitz Isabelle , Nafteux Philippe , Ceulemans Laurens J
Published: May 2024

Extended pleurectomy–decortication is a cytoreductive surgical treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Prolonged air leak remains a major postoperative challenge, lengthening hospital stay and increasing morbidity. In this video report, we present a stepwise approach for visceral decortication and introduce the concept of aerostasis by construction of an artificial neopleura. Our results suggest that improved aerostasis results in shortened air leak duration.
Altered Serotonin 1B Receptor Binding After Escitalopram for Depression Is Correlated With Treatment Effect
Authors: Gärde M , Matheson G J , Varnäs K , Svenningsson P , Hedman-Lagerlöf E , Lundberg J , Farde L , Tiger M
Published: May 2024

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is commonly treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs inhibit the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), but the downstream antidepressant mechanism of action of these drugs is poorly understood. The serotonin 1B (5-HT1B) receptor is functionally linked to 5-HTT and 5-HT1B receptor binding and 5-HT1B receptor mRNA is reduced in the raphe nuclei after SSRI administration in primates and rodents, respectively. The effect of SSRI treatment on 5-HT1B receptor binding in patients with MDD has not been examined previously. This positron emission tomography (PET) study aimed to quantify brain 5-HT1B receptor binding changes in vivo after SSRI treatment for MDD in relation to treatment effect.

Methods

Eight unmedicated patients with moderate to severe MDD underwent PET with the 5-HT1B receptor radioligand [11C]AZ10419369 before and after 3 to 4 weeks of treatment with the SSRI escitalopram 10 mg daily. Depression severity was assessed at time of PET and after 6 to 7 weeks of treatment with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale.

Results

We observed a significant reduction in [11C]AZ10419369 binding in a dorsal brainstem (DBS) region containing the median and dorsal raphe nuclei after escitalopram treatment (P = .036). Change in DBS [11C]AZ10419369 binding correlated with Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale reduction after 3-4 (r = 0.78, P = .021) and 6-7 (r = 0.94, P < .001) weeks’ treatment.

Conclusions

Our findings align with the previously reported reduction of 5-HT1B receptor binding in the raphe nuclei after SSRI administration and support future studies testing change in DBS 5-HT1B receptor binding as an SSRI treatment response marker.
Growth rates of marine prokaryotes are extremely diverse, even among closely related taxa
Authors: Deulofeu-Capo Ona , Sebastián Marta , Auladell Adrià , Cardelús Clara , Ferrera Isabel , Sánchez Olga , Gasol Josep M
Published: May 2024

Marine prokaryotes play crucial roles in ocean biogeochemical cycles, being their contribution strongly influenced by their growth rates. Hence, elucidating the variability and phylogenetic imprint of marine prokaryotes' growth rates are crucial for better determining the role of individual taxa in biogeochemical cycles. Here, we estimated prokaryotic growth rates at high phylogenetic resolution in manipulation experiments using water from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Experiments were run in the four seasons with different treatments that reduced growth limiting factors: predators, nutrient availability, viruses, and light. Single-amplicon sequence variants (ASVs)-based growth rates were calculated from changes in estimated absolute abundances using total prokaryotic abundance and the proportion of each individual ASV. The trends obtained for growth rates in the different experiments were consistent with other estimates based on total cell-counts, catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization subcommunity cell-counts or metagenomic-operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Our calculations unveil a broad range of growth rates (0.3–10 d−1) with significant variability even within closely related ASVs. Likewise, the impact of growth limiting factors changed over the year for individual ASVs. High numbers of responsive ASVs were shared between winter and spring seasons, as well as throughout the year in the treatments with reduced nutrient limitation and viral pressure. The most responsive ASVs were rare in the in situ communities, comprising a large pool of taxa with the potential to rapidly respond to environmental changes. Essentially, our results highlight the lack of phylogenetic coherence in the range of growth rates observed, and differential responses to the various limiting factors, even for closely related taxa.