bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust global optimization of plasmonic filter based on Q factor analysis using graded index
Authors: Kim Kyoung-Youm , Jung Jaehoon
Published: October 2024

To reduce the impact of uncertainties in various manufacturing processes while maintaining satisfactory performance level, we propose a robust global optimization approach for plasmonic filters based on extraordinary optical transmission by use of Q factor analysis with reasonable computational cost. The gradient index is employed as a metric for robustness, and the multiobjective genetic algorithm is selected as a global optimization tool. The figures of merit and gradient index are chosen as two objective functions with the design variables being the slit width, slit height, and period of the slit array, respectively. The finite element method is employed to investigate a variety of optical properties rigorously. The numerical optimization results demonstrate that the proposed approach provides improved effectiveness and efficiency in designing plasmonic filters under fabrication uncertainties by using Q factor analysis. The method proposed in this study enables systematic robust optimization while accounting for manufacturing uncertainties, which would be infeasible under typical time constraints. Specifically, within the proposed optimization framework, Q factor analysis can be employed due to a 20.60-times reduction in computational time. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first robust optimization design for enhanced filter performance based on Q factor analysis in EOT, necessitating comprehensive spectrum calculations alongside fabrication tolerance considerations.
Free evolution in the Ginzburg-Landau equation and other complex diffusion equations
Authors: Southgate Howard N
Published: October 2024

New ordinary differential equations (ODEs) for the evolution of spectral components are derived from the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation (CGLe) for one-dimensional spatial domains without boundaries (free evolution) and with one fixed boundary (semi-free evolution). For such evolution, a complex or imaginary diffusion term creates a tendency for waves to lengthen. This requires a novel ansatz and auxiliary condition that treat wavenumbers as time-varying. The ansatz consists of a discrete spatial Fourier transform modified with a time-dependent wavenumber for the peak spectral component. The wavenumbers of the other components are fixed relative to this wavenumber. The new auxiliary condition is the terminal condition for complex diffusion (after wavenumbers evolve to zero, they remain at zero). The derived free and semi-free ODEs are solved along characteristic lines located symmetrically about a fixed spatial point. Waves lengthen with time away from this point in both directions. Laboratory experiments on the formation of channel sandbars, theoretically described by the CGLe, show two regions whose evolutionary behaviour is qualitatively predicted by the free and semi-free evolution equations. This analysis applies to other time-dependent partial differential equations with complex or imaginary diffusion terms. New freely evolving solutions are derived for the complex heat equation and Schrödinger equation (linear and nonlinear).
Novel superhard orthorhombic O12 carbon: a first principle study
Authors: Wang Hao , Du Mingrun , Wan Linxuan , Zhang Ying , Wang Changying , Yin Yaru , Huai Ping
Published: October 2024

In this study, a new orthorhombic carbon structure with Ama2 symmetry, designated as O12 carbon, has been predicted on basis of the first-principles method. The thermal stability and dynamic stability of O12 carbon were evaluated and confirmed by combining
ab initio
molecular dynamics and phonon spectra analyses. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties of O12 carbon, compared with other superhard carbon allostrope like diamond, M-carbon, Bct-c4 and Cco-C8, have also been systematically investigated. With a bulk modulus of 351 GPa, a shear modulus of 333 GPa, and a Vickers hardness of 53 GPa, O12 carbon is identified as a superhard material of significantly technological and industrial applications. The existence of elastic anisotropy in O12 carbon has also been confirmed. The electronic band structure calculations have revealed that O12 carbon exhibits a semiconductor characteristic with a direct band gap of 2.5 eV, making it promising candidate in electronic applications. Additionally, the XRD spectra of O12 carbon were obtained to offer further insights for potential experimental observations. Our findings enrich the family of carbon structure and are expected to stimulate additional experimental interest.
Antenna RCS minimization using load tuning
Authors: Abdulwali Zaed S A , Alkanhal Majeed A S
Published: October 2024

This paper synthesizes antenna RCS using load tuning, beginning with the derivation of the theoretical load impedance to achieve minimum RCS (MRCS) based on antenna radiation and conjugate-matched scattering parameters. This condition is utilized to obtain feasible MRCS zones and minimize backward RCS (BRCS) for the dipole and microstrip patch antennas. The dipole antenna exhibits a full feasible MRCS zone with a BRCS reduction of 77 dB at the resonant frequency, a 63% relative −10dB reduction bandwidth, and a full plane of reduction angles compared to the conjugate-matched condition. However, mismatching of MRCS loading significantly affects the dipole received power. Conversely, the microstrip patch antenna has a feasible MRCS zone that excludes forward directions and demonstrates a negligible mismatching level with a BRCS reduction of 35.5 dB at the resonant frequency, a 0.67% relative reduction bandwidth, a 50° reduction in H-plane, and a 20° reduction in E-plane compared to the conjugate-matched condition. Tuning the load reactance between conjugate-matched and MRCS loadings results in a trade-off between BRCS reduction and the received power. The calculated MRCS load for specific incident direction is applicable for nearby incidence directions, demonstrating applicability with misalignment. The findings validate the efficiency of using load-tuning method with the derived condition to minimize RCS within specific incident angles.
Comparative analysis on high temperature tribological behaviour of additive manufactured and cast AlSi10Mg alloy
Authors: K Sathish Kumar , R Harichandran , Suresh M Kishore , V Ezhilmaran
Published: October 2024

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) of AlSi10Mg, a material widely used in the aerospace and automotive sectors, has gained considerable interest for its ability to produce intricate shapes with improved mechanical properties. This proposed study aims to experimentally assess the high-temperature tribological performance of as-printed AlSi10Mg and compare it with traditionally cast AlSi10Mg to determine its suitability for high-temperature tribological applications. Samples of AlSi10Mg were manufactured via powder bed fusion, followed by tribological testing at elevated temperatures (30 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C). The performance of both printed and cast AlSi10Mg pins was compared against an EN31 disc. The microstructure, worn surface, and wear debris of both printed and cast AlSi10Mg were examined using XRD and SEM with EDX analyses. As the load and temperature increase, both printed and cast AlSi10Mg materials demonstrate an increase in wear rate and friction coefficient. The wear rate of printed AlSi10Mg decreased by 60% compared to cast AlSi10Mg at higher temperatures. There is a consistent trend in the coefficient of friction between printed and cast AlSi10Mg samples at low temperatures and loads. Abrasive wear predominantly occurs in both printed and cast AlSi10Mg samples at 30 °C within a load range of 10 to 20 N, while adhesive wear predominates in the same samples at temperatures ranging from 100 °C to 300 °C with an applied load of 30 N. At low temperatures, smaller wear debris is observed, whereas at high temperatures and under a load of 30 N, larger wear debris is observed for both cast and printed AlSi10Mg samples.
Gravitational lensing of spherically symmetric black holes in dark matter halos
Authors: Liu Yi-Gao , Qiao Chen-Kai , Tao Jun
Published: October 2024

The gravitational lensing of supermassive black holes surrounded by dark matter halo has attracted a great number of interests in recent years. However, many studies employed simplified dark matter density models, which makes it very hard to give a precise prediction on the dark matter effects in real astrophysical galaxies. In this work, to more accurately describe the distribution of dark matter in real astrophysical galaxies, we study the gravitational lensing of black holes in astrophysical dark matter halo models (Beta, Burkert, Brownstein, and Moore). The deflection angle is obtained using a generalized Gibbons-Werner approach. The visual angular positions and the Einstein rings are also calculated by adopting the gravitational lens equation. Specifically, we choose the supermassive black holes in Milky Way Galaxy, Andromeda galaxy (M31), Virgo galaxy (M87), and ESO138-G014 galaxy as examples, including the corresponding fitted value of dark matter halos. The results suggest that the dark matter halo described by the Beta model has non-negligible influences on the gravitational deflection angle and gravitational lensing observations. However, the Burkert, Brownstein, and Moore models have relatively small influences on angular position of images and the Einstein ring.
Real-time four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy through sparse sampling
Authors: Robinson A W , Wells J , Moshtaghpour A , Nicholls D , Huang C , Velazco-Torrejon A , Nicotra G , Kirkland A I , Browning N D
Published: October 2024

Four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4-D STEM) is a state-of-the-art image acquisition mode used to reveal high and low mass elements at atomic resolution. The acquisition of the electron momenta at each real space probe location allows for various analyses to be performed from a single dataset, including virtual imaging, electric field analysis, as well as analytical or iterative extraction of the object induced phase shift. However, the limiting factor in 4-D STEM is the speed of acquisition which is bottlenecked by the read-out speed of the camera, which must capture a convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) pattern at each probe position in the scan. Recent developments in sparse sampling and image inpainting (a branch of compressive sensing) for STEM have allowed for real-time recovery of sparsely acquired data from fixed monolithic detectors, Further developments in compressive sensing for 4-D STEM have also demonstrated that acquisition speeds can be increased, i.e., live video rate 4-D imaging is now possible. In this work, we demonstrate the first practical implementations of compressive 4-D STEM for real-time inference on two different scanning transmission electron microscopes.
Modeling net-charge fluctuations in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC*
Authors: Ambaryan G. O. , Chernyshov A. S. , Eyyubova G. Kh. , Korotkikh V. L. , Lokhtin I. P. , Petrushanko S. V. , Snigirev A. M. , Zabrodin E. E.
Published: October 2024

Analysis of Pb+Pb data for net-charge fluctuations at LHC energies using the HYDJET++ model is presented. The strongly intensive quantities D and Σ were used to remove the effects related to system volume fluctuations. We employed two versions of HYDJET++ for the analysis. The first one is the standard or default version, whereas the second one is a modification that takes into account explicit event-by-event conservation of the electric net-charge of produced particles. The inclusion of the canonical net-charge conservation in the model allows for better description of the experimental data obtained by the ALICE and CMS Collaborations. A comparison with calculations from other models is also presented.
Real-time TMS-EEG for brain state-controlled research and precision treatment: a narrative review and guide
Authors: Wischnewski Miles , Shirinpour Sina , Alekseichuk Ivan , Lapid Maria I , Nahas Ziad , Lim Kelvin O , Croarkin Paul E , Opitz Alexander
Published: October 2024

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) modulates neuronal activity, but the efficacy of an open-loop approach is limited due to the brain state’s dynamic nature. Real-time integration with electroencephalography (EEG) increases experimental reliability and offers personalized neuromodulation therapy by using immediate brain states as biomarkers. Here, we review brain state-controlled TMS-EEG studies since the first publication several years ago. A summary of experiments on the sensorimotor mu rhythm (8–13 Hz) shows increased cortical excitability due to TMS pulse at the trough and decreased excitability at the peak of the oscillation. Pre-TMS pulse mu power also affects excitability. Further, there is emerging evidence that the oscillation phase in theta and beta frequency bands modulates neural excitability. Here, we provide a guide for real-time TMS-EEG application and discuss experimental and technical considerations. We consider the effects of hardware choice, signal quality, spatial and temporal filtering, and neural characteristics of the targeted brain oscillation. Finally, we speculate on how closed-loop TMS-EEG potentially could improve the treatment of neurological and mental disorders such as depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, and stroke.
Performance prediction applying different reduced turbulence models to the SMART tokamak
Authors: Cruz-Zabala D.J. , Podestà M. , Poli F. , Kaye S.M. , Garcia-Munoz M. , Viezzer E. , Berkery J.W.
Published: October 2024

The SMall Aspect Ratio Tokamak (SMART) is currently being commissioned at the University of Seville and will be able to compare the performance of positive and negative triangularity plasmas at low aspect ratio. Predictive simulations have been performed for different machine scenarios and heating schemes using the TRANSP code. The objectives of these simulations are to predict the parameters expected in positive triangularity plasmas, to guide diagnostic development, and to validate transport models. Several reduced turbulence models have been used to predict electron and ion temperatures for the operational phase 2. All models provide similar results from approximately mid-radius to the separatrix but important discrepancies are found in the core region. These positive triangularity results are compared with experiments from a similar size machine like GLOBUS-M2. The multi-mode model (MMM) shows the best agreement. Simulations with different boundary conditions have been performed and no strong differences have been observed between them. The impact of neutral beam injection (NBI) on the predicted profiles has also been addressed. Rotation reduces turbulence levels so higher temperatures are achieved when included in the simulations. Studying the different contributions to the thermal diffusivities, it is observed that electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence dominates at the plasma core while micro-tearing modes (MTM) dominate at the edge in the electron channel. In the ion channel, the neoclassical contribution is dominant at the core and at the very edge while the Weiland component, which includes ion temperature gradient mode (ITG), trapped electron mode (TEM), kinetic ballooning mode (KBM), peeling mode (PM) and collisionless and collision dominated magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes governs the mid-radius region. For phase 3, two plasmas with different electron densities have been studied. The case with lower density matches well a specific discharge of GLOBUS-M2. The higher density plasma shows high performance with

β
N

≈
3.8

.
Speed and Route Planning in Evolving Weather for Efficient Voyages
Authors: Taskar Bhushan , Sasmal Kaushik , Zheng Yingying , Ramganesh T , Eng Tan Ching
Published: October 2024

Fuel-saving potential by optimizing speed as well as route has been studied in a wide variety of operating conditions on a trans-Pacific route. Analysis using different seasonal weather patterns and various ship speeds allows a more robust estimation of possible fuel savings. Up to 18% reduction in fuel consumption was observed on eastbound voyages and up to 13% savings could be obtained on westbound voyages. It was observed that higher energy savings can be obtained for longer voyage times. Because the share of added wave resistance in total resistance is higher for lower speeds and there is greater flexibility to speed up and slow down during the voyage. A detailed comparison between the hindcast and forecast of metocean data has been presented since actual fuel savings would depend on the accuracy of the weather forecast. For future work on operational optimization, it is suggested to use weather forecast data instead of hindcast for realistic estimation of fuel saving potential.
Risk assessment of gas plume dispersion in bunkering of alternative fuel through validated computational fluid dynamics approach
Authors: Nguyen V.-T. , Raghavan V.S.G. , Quek R. , Leong J. , Boppana B. , Kang C.W.
Published: October 2024

Maritime decarbonization is crucial in fighting climate change. Adopting low-carbon alternative fuels could help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. While liquified natural gas (LNG) has gained a strong foothold in the maritime sector over the past decades, the trend is shifting toward adopting lower and zero-carbon hydrogen and its carriers, such as methanol and ammonia, as alternative fuels. Quantifying risks from accidental leakages during storage and transfer of these alternative fuels using numerical models is required and commonly adopted in industries. The process leverages multiple models and tools for risk assessments with different accuracy levels and costs ranging from integral models to Lagrangian techniques and Eulerian approaches such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Increasingly, CFD approaches are employed for near-field dispersion analysis to assess the risk of accidental leakages. Despite their high computational cost, CFD models offer better accuracy than integral and Lagrangian models. In this work, we developed a CFD-based framework as a quantitative tool for risk assessment purposes. Our framework aims to (1) offer finer gas dispersion resolution with a detailed representation of surrounding structures and geometries, (2) minimize reliance on assumptions and empirical models to capture flow dynamics and gas dispersions accurately, and (3) mitigate conservative estimates and over-design of safety measures.

The framework was validated using experimental data from various field tests, including a recent one involving releasing cryogenic liquids into the atmosphere. After successfully validating and comparing with experiments and other available tools, the proposed framework investigated gas plume dispersion from accidental leakages during fuel bunkering operations in ship-to-ship and shore-to-ship scenarios. The data obtained from CFD simulations was subsequently utilized to construct a surrogate model for fast prediction of gas plume behavior under varying environmental conditions. This facilitated the development of an effective emergency response plan.
A Conceptual Model for Automation of Small Ports
Authors: Hagaseth Marianne , Rostad Sæther Simen
Published: October 2024

For large ports and terminals, the loading and discharge operations have to a great extent been automated already. However, for the vast number of small ports, for instance all Norwegian ports, this large-scale automation is not possible due to the small size of the ports compared to the cost of introducing full automation. Still, these small ports are important logistics hubs in the transport system. They facilitate the shift from congested roads to the sea by allowing the goods to arrive closer to the final destination by using smaller, possibly autonomous, vessels. However, this puts pressure on the ports to facilitate reduced laytime in the port, to increase the port efficiency and to improve interoperability towards hinterland systems and terminals. For small ports, this means that manual and automated work processes need to exist side by side, and that it will be important to get an overview of which processes to automate and which will remain manual, in addition to the handling of the hand-over between humans and automation.

This paper describes a conceptual model that can be used by small ports as a starting point on their way to introduce automation of their services supporting the cargo flow through the port. The model includes a description of port functions, tasks and responsibilities and use the concept of operational envelope to define the overall capabilities of the system, including both automation and human. This will be the starting point for how to structure the description of an operation centre that monitor and control the maritime terminal operations.

The starting point for this work is a use case analysis performed in some small ports in Norway, and their need to optimize the utilization of their assets. The work is done as part of the AutoPort project which is a research project funded by the Norwegian Research Council (project number 337211). The goal of this work is to describe a methodology on how to identify the interface between automation and human operators when it comes to small ports and the movement of cargo through its terminals, and by this give a description on how different levels of automation can be implemented. The methodology consists of several steps, including definition of the context (big picture of the use case, actors and their roles, and communication), the scenario (port activities and processes), and the use cases including the control tasks performed by the automated systems.
Towards Integrated Safety Assurance Methodology for Autonomous Vessel Navigation Systems
Authors: Nakashima Takuya , Kureta Rui , Nakamura Jun
Published: October 2024

Safety assurance remains paramount for the realization of autonomous vessels. A robust assurance methodology that can provide traceability throughout the design and verification process is necessary to demonstrate safety equivalence to that of conventional ships. However, there are few references that propose a holistic safety assurance scheme for autonomous ships, using actual engineering processes of ships as examples. This study proposes a design and development method for an autonomous navigation system that integrates Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and several verification methods including simulation-based tests to develop a comprehensive safety assurance scheme. This safety assurance scheme is being conducted as a case study for a newly constructed autonomous vessel. First, STPA can be performed on the conceptual design established by MBSE to extract additional safety requirements from the identified loss scenarios. Focusing on the process model in the loss scenario description leads to a deeper understanding of the system behavior. FMEA in addition identify potential component failure modes and their impact on system safety. The multi-level requirements that emerge from these activities are validated in test scenarios. Simulators are used to evaluate whether the autonomous navigation system’s safety can meet predefined pass criteria in some of the scenarios. These activities ensure traceability from safety goals to design decisions, allowing design changes and their impact on safety to be evaluated throughout the development lifecycle and allowing for more systematic ongoing monitoring during operations.
Safety Assurance of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships
Authors: Wylie M , Rajabally E
Published: October 2024

Safety of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) is inherently complex owing to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the maritime environment. This is exacerbated by the pace of change in enabling technologies and their disruptive impact. Integral to the safety assurance of MASS is assessment and mitigation of risk. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) defines Risk as “the combination of frequency and severity of the consequence”. The advent of software-controlled systems has introduced difficulties in quantifying frequencies; an issue which is more prevalent in the context of autonomy due to the complex interaction between control algorithms and the variabilities of the environment in which they are deployed. Within complex autonomous systems, therefore it is challenging to perform quantitative risk assessments using failure rates, which gives rise to a need for different techniques to assess risk. Novel risk assessment methodologies such as those presented in the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Risk Based Assessment Tool (RBAT) combined with conventional risk assessment techniques can offer a solution to this challenge. Compliance with legislation and standards is another cornerstone of safety assurance, which is also inherently difficult for MASS vessels owing to their having been developed for conventional vessels. A goal-based approach to legislation compliance could present an interim solution until the IMO goal-based Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS) provides harmonisation across the industry. Whilst MASS Safety assurance is non-trivial, there are solutions to many of the challenges faced; this paper examines the predominant challenges and presents potential solutions.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of landslide susceptibility under future climate change and land use scenarios
Authors: Ullah Kashif , Wang Yi , Li Penglei , Fang Zhice , Rahaman Mahfuzur , Ullah Safi , Hamed Mohammed Magdy
Published: October 2024

Mountainous landslides are expected to worsen due to environmental changes, yet few studies have quantified their future risks. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the eastern Hindukush region of Pakistan. A geospatial database was developed, and logistic regression was employed to evaluate baseline landslide susceptibility for 2020. Using the latest coupled model intercomparison project 6 models under three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) and the cellular automata-Markov model, we projected future rainfall and land use/land cover patterns for 2040, 2070, and 2100, respectively. Our results reveal significant changes in future rainfall and land use patterns, particularly in the long-term future (2070 and 2100). Future landslide susceptibility was then predicted based on these projections. By 2100, high-risk landslide areas are expected to increase substantially under all SSP scenarios, with the largest increases observed under SSP5-8.5 (56.52%), SSP2-4.5 (53.55%), and SSP1-2.6 (22.45%). By 2070, high-risk areas will rise by 43.08% (SSP1-2.6), 40.88% (SSP2-4.5), and 12.60% (SSP5-8.5). However, by 2040, the changes in high-risk areas are minimal compared to the baseline, with increases of 9.45% (SSP1-2.6), 1.69% (SSP2-4.5), and 7.63% (SSP5-8.5). These findings provide crucial insights into the relationship between environmental changes and landslide risks and support the development of climate risk mitigation, land use planning, and disaster management strategies for mountainous regions.
A characterization of capillary spherical caps by a partially overdetermined problem in a half ball
Authors: Jia Xiaohan , Lu Zheng , Xia Chao , Zhang Xuwen
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we study a Serrin-type partially overdetermined problem proposed by Guo-Xia [Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations 58 (2019), Paper No. 160, 15], and prove a rigidity result that characterizes capillary spherical caps in a half ball.
K-classes of delta-matroids and equivariant localization
Authors: Eur Christopher , Larson Matt , Spink Hunter
Published: October 2024

Delta-matroids are “type B” generalizations of matroids in the same way that maximal orthogonal Grassmannians are generalizations of Grassmannians. A delta-matroid analogue of the Tutte polynomial of a matroid is the interlace polynomial. We give a geometric interpretation for the interlace polynomial via the

K
K

-theory of maximal orthogonal Grassmannians. To do so, we develop a new Hirzebruch–Riemann–Roch-type formula for the type B permutohedral variety.
The Carpenter Adjustment
Authors: Kerr Orin
Published: October 2024

This chapter considers how courts should interpret Carpenter v. United States (2018), the Supreme Court’s blockbuster ruling that cell-site location records are protected under the Fourth Amendment. Carpenter is the Supreme Court’s equilibrium-adjustment for noncontent network information: it recognizes that some network metadata is new and that the translation from physical space to network environments should treat some metadata differently. The question is, Which Internet data qualifies? This chapter develops a three-part test to apply Carpenter to Internet information. It then applies the test to a few important types of Internet information, such as Internet protocol addresses, trip information, and Google search terms.
Ernst Laas
Authors: Beiser Frederick C
Published: October 2024

This chapter is a study of the writings of Ernst Laas, one of the most neglected but also most prominent of the early German positivists. It first considers Laas’s Kants Analogien der Erfahrung, his early critique of Kant’s arguments in the Analogies of Experience. It then proceeds to an examination of Laas’s magnum opus, his three-volume Idealismus und Positivismus. It treats the central doctrine of Laas’s epistemology, his correlativism, which maintains that the subject and object are complementary sources of experience, that neither is conceivable without the other. Between 1879 and 1882 Laas wrote a series of articles on the topics of causality, freedom, and punishment; these are closely examined in Section 5 of this chapter. Laas’s critique of Kant in book III of Idealismus und Positivismus is then the subject of Section 7. Section 8 treats Laas’s philosophy of religion. The final section of this chapter, Section 9, is an examination of Laas’s late quarrel with Wilhelm Windelband over the role of teleology and the genetic method in Kant’s philosophy.
Richard Avenarius
Authors: Beiser Frederick C
Published: October 2024

Avenarius is best known as the founder of “empirio-criticism” and the editor of the Vierteljahrschrift für wissenschaftliche Philosophie, the leading journal of positivism before Erkenntnis. Avenarius was an early advocate of radical empiricism; his empirio-criticism was basically a critical philosophy with an empiricist edge. Kant had not taken his critical philosophy far enough, Avenarius believed, because he left the scholastic residue of a priori principles, intuitions, and concepts. The main work of Avenarius’s philosophy was his Kritik der reinen Erfahrung, whose goal was to eliminate all a priori elements from experience. This chapter examines some of the early sources of Avenarius’s philosophy: his early study of Spinoza; his Habilitationsschrift; his introduction to the Vierteljahrschrift; and his dispute with Hermann Ulrici about scientific philosophy. Section 5 is a brief examination of Avenarius’s Kritik der reinen Erfahrung, while Section 6 treats his Der menschliche Weltbegriff. The final section, Section 7, is an examination of Avenarius’s neglected final articles, which were an attempt to give a last clarification of his critique of pure experience.
Itinerary of a Christian Ex-Boko Haram bomb maker in Cameroon
Authors: Sumo Tayo Raoul
Published: October 2024

This paper is a biography of Paul, a Christian who joined Boko Haram and became one of its prominent bomb makers. After coming out of the underground, he became an army auxiliary in Kolofata and its environs, in the far north of Cameroon. Paul’s autobiographical narratives were cross-checked with other sources, including interviews with former insurgents and hostages, and officials of the Cameroonian army and the Multinational Joint Task Force. Paul’s narrative offers insight to understand why an individual would join, make a career in, and leave a terrorist group. His life story highlights the issue of human rights in the context of counterinsurgency and the importance of psychological operations in the fight against Boko Haram.
Choline chloride and N-allylglycine promote plant growth by increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis
Authors: Ikeda Naoki , Kamimura Mayu , Uesugi Kousaku , Kobayashi Takeshi , Che Fang-Sik
Published: October 2024

We previously reported that choline chloride and N-allylglycine stimulate photosynthesis in wheat protoplasts. Treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa plants with both compounds promoted growth and photosynthesis. To clarify the relationship between the enhancement of photosynthesis and increased growth, A. thaliana T87 cells, which show photosynthesis-dependent growth, and YG1 cells, which use sugar in the medium for growth, were treated with choline chloride or N-allylglycine. Only the T87 cells showed increased growth, suggesting that choline chloride and N-allylglycine promote growth by increasing photosynthetic activity. Transcriptome analysis using choline chloride- and N-allylglycine-treated plants showed that the most abundant transcripts corresponded to photosynthetic electron transfer-related genes among the genes upregulated by both compounds. Furthermore, the compounds also upregulate genes encoding transcription factors that may control the expression of these photosynthetic genes. These results suggest that choline chloride and N-allylglycine promote photosynthesis through increased expression of photosynthetic electron transfer-related genes.
Firm interconnectedness and resilience: evidence from the Italian manufacturing
Authors: Shaheen Ibrahim , Brakman Steven , Canello Jacopo , Garretsen Harry
Published: October 2024

This article explores how firm interconnectedness determines firm-level resilience. We argue that firms that engage in outward foreign direct investment are more interconnected, and therefore better equipped to deal with structural and economic shocks, than firms that are not engaged in outward foreign investment. Interconnectedness is measured along two dimensions; cross-border firm linkages and embeddedness in interconnected regions. We use a sample of 13,000 Italian manufacturing firms during the period 2008–2011. We find a positive association between firm interconnectedness and resilience. Moreover, we find the firms that operate in more interconnected regions to be more resilient than firms that operate in relatively isolated regions. Our results offer new insights into the complex interaction between firm and regional interconnectedness.
Multiple stressors disrupt sex hormones and fitness outcomes: effects of hypoxia and turbidity on an African cichlid fish
Authors: Williams Bethany L , Pintor Lauren M , Tiarks Jai , Gray Suzanne M
Published: October 2024

Freshwater organisms face a complex array of environmental stressors that can negatively affect endocrine function and subsequent fitness outcomes. Hypoxia and turbidity are two environmental stressors that are increasing due to human activities that could lead to endocrine disruption and reduced reproductive output. Our research addresses how hypoxia and elevated turbidity affect traits related to reproductive success, specifically sex hormone concentrations, investment in reproductive tissues and body size. We used wild fish from two populations (a river and a swamp) of an African cichlid, Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor, to produce offspring that were reared in a full factorial split brood rearing experiment (hypoxic/normoxic × clear/turbid). River and swamp populations represent divergent habitat types with respect to the stressors of interest, being well-oxygenated but turbid or hypoxic and clear, respectively. Overall, we found evidence for plastic responses to both stressors. Specifically, we found that there was an interactive effect of oxygen and turbidity on testosterone in males from both populations. Additionally, males of both populations reared under hypoxic conditions were significantly smaller in both mass and standard length than those raised under normoxic conditions and invested less in reproductive tissues (quantified as gonadosomatic index). Hypoxia and turbidity are experienced naturally by this species, and these environmental stressors did not affect the number of eggs laid by females when experienced in the absence of another stressor (i.e. normoxic/turbid or hypoxic/clear). However, there was an interactive effect of hypoxia and turbidity, as females reared and maintained under this treatment combination laid fewer eggs. This research underscores the importance of considering the possibility of stressor interactions when determining how anthropogenic stressors affect fitness outcomes.
PheNormGPT: a framework for extraction and normalization of key medical findings
Authors: Soysal Ekin , Roberts Kirk
Published: October 2024

This manuscript presents PheNormGPT, a framework for extraction and normalization of key findings in clinical text. PheNormGPT relies on an innovative approach, leveraging large language models to extract key findings and phenotypic data in unstructured clinical text and map them to Human Phenotype Ontology concepts. It utilizes OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 Turbo and GPT-4 models with fine-tuning and few-shot learning strategies, including a novel few-shot learning strategy for custom-tailored few-shot example selection per request. PheNormGPT was evaluated in the BioCreative VIII Track 3: Genetic Phenotype Extraction from Dysmorphology Physical Examination Entries shared task. PheNormGPT achieved an F1 score of 0.82 for standard matching and 0.72 for exact matching, securing first place for this shared task.
GLP-1 Analog Use is Associated With Improved Disease Course in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Report from the Epi-IIRN
Authors: Gorelik Yuri , Ghersin Itai , Lujan Rona , Shlon Dima , Loewenberg Weisband Yiska , Ben-Tov Amir , Matz Eran , Zacay Galia , Dotan Iris , Turner Dan , Bar-Yoseph Haggai
Published: October 2024

Background and Aims

The growing use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and obesity necessitates studies about their use in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Methods

Data on patients with DM2 were retrieved from an Israeli nationwide cohort of patients with IBD (epi-IIRN), recording GLP-1 analog exposure for at least 6 months. The primary outcome was poor disease outcomes (ie, composite of steroid dependence, initiation of advanced IBD therapy, hospitalization, surgery, or death). Cox proportional hazard models with time-varying covariables were used to assess the impact of GLP-1 use on outcomes during follow-up.

Results

We included 3737 patients (24 338 patient-years) with IBD and DM2 [50.4% ulcerative colitis (UC)], of whom 633 were treated with GLP-1 analogs. Accounting for demographics IBD/DM2 related variables, medication use, and laboratory measurements, GLP-1 analog use was associated with reduced composite outcome in the full cohort (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62-0.89) and in each subtype [UC (aHR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.96) and Crohn’s disease (aHR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.99)]. Similar trends were seen in multivariate analyses of each individual outcome, although only hospitalization was significant (aHR 0.74, 95% CI 0.61-0.91). The protective effect of GLP-1 analogs was seen in patients with obesity (aHR 0.61, 95% CI 0.50-0.77), but not in non-obese (aHR 0.94, 95% CI 0.67-1.31).

Conclusions

GLP-1 analogs are associated with improved outcomes in IBD, specifically in patients with obesity. The mechanisms of these effects require further investigation as well as their role in patients without DM2.
Genomic prediction of cereal crop architectural traits using models informed by gene regulatory circuitries from maize
Authors: Bertolini Edoardo , Manjunath Mohith , Ge Weihao , Murphy Matthew D , Inaoka Mirai , Fliege Christina , Eveland Andrea L , Lipka Alexander E
Published: October 2024

Plant architecture is a major determinant of planting density, which enhances productivity potential for crops per unit area. Genomic prediction is well positioned to expedite genetic gain of plant architectural traits since they are typically highly heritable. Additionally, the adaptation of genomic prediction models to query predictive abilities of markers tagging certain genomic regions could shed light on the genetic architecture of these traits. Here, we leveraged transcriptional networks from a prior study that contextually described developmental progression during tassel and leaf organogenesis in maize (Zea mays) to inform genomic prediction models for architectural traits. Since these developmental processes underlie tassel branching and leaf angle, 2 important agronomic architectural traits, we tested whether genes prioritized from these networks quantitatively contribute to the genetic architecture of these traits. We used genomic prediction models to evaluate the ability of markers in the vicinity of prioritized network genes to predict breeding values of tassel branching and leaf angle traits for 2 diversity panels in maize and diversity panels from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and rice (Oryza sativa). Predictive abilities of markers near these prioritized network genes were similar to those using whole-genome marker sets. Notably, markers near highly connected transcription factors from core network motifs in maize yielded predictive abilities that were significantly greater than expected by chance in not only maize but also closely related sorghum. We expect that these highly connected regulators are key drivers of architectural variation that are conserved across closely related cereal crop species.
Taeniasis impacts human gut microbiome composition and function
Authors: Mu Wenjie , Ma Pingping , Wang Yugui , Li Yaqi , Ding Yingying , Zou Yang , Pu Lixia , Yan Qi , Kong Haoyue , Guo Xiaola , Guo Aijiang , Li Hailong , Wang Shuai
Published: October 2024

Human taeniasis, caused by Taenia tapeworms, is a global parasitic disease with significant implications for public health and food safety. These tapeworms can grow to considerable sizes and potentially impact the microecology of the host gut. Despite their importance, the effects of Taenia infection on host gut microbiota haven’t been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the gut microbiome in patients infected with Taenia asiatica (n = 87) compared to healthy controls (n = 79) in the Dali cohort, China. We also performed a longitudinal assessment of microbial changes following deworming in a subset of patients (n = 24). Our findings reveal a significant shift in gut microbial composition, characterized by increased alpha-diversity and an enrichment of Prevotella-driven enterotypes in infected patients compared to healthy controls. The stability of these microbial features post-deworming varied widely among individuals and was lower in those with lower initial alpha diversity and Prevotella-enterotype before deworming. We observed a significant depletion of Bifidobacterium species in infected individuals, regardless of enterotypes, and these prebiotics did not recover post-deworming. Metabolic network analysis and in vitro experiments suggest that the reduction of Bifidobacterium was linked to metabolic competition for ecological niches or nutrients, particularly stachyose, from other microbes rather than the parasitism itself. Furthermore, our machine learning analysis demonstrated that taxa associated with Bifidobacterium in stachyose metabolism could robustly predict infection but could not predict deworming. This study highlights the substantial impact of taeniasis on the human gut microbiome and overall gut health.
Ecological success of extreme halophiles subjected to recurrent osmotic disturbances is primarily driven by congeneric species replacement
Authors: Bustos-Caparros Esteban , Viver Tomeu , Gago Juan F , Rodriguez-R Luis M , Hatt Janet K , Venter Stephanus N , Fuchs Bernhard M , Amann Rudolf , Bosch Rafael , Konstantinidis Konstantinos T , Rossello-Mora Ramon
Published: October 2024

To understand how extreme halophiles respond to recurrent disturbances, we challenged the communities thriving in salt-saturated (~36% salts) ~230 L brine mesocosms to repeated dilutions down to 13% (D13 mesocosm) or 20% (D20 mesocosm) salts each time mesocosms reached salt saturation due to evaporation (for 10 and 17 cycles, respectively) over 813 days. Depending on the magnitude of dilution, the most prevalent species, Haloquadratum walsbyi and Salinibacter ruber, either increased in dominance by replacing less competitive populations (for D20, moderate stress conditions), or severely decreased in abundance and were eventually replaced by other congeneric species better adapted to the higher osmotic stress (for D13, strong stress conditions). Congeneric species replacement was commonly observed within additional abundant genera in response to changes in environmental or biological conditions (e.g. phage predation) within the same system and under a controlled perturbation of a relevant environmental parameter. Therefore, a genus is an ecologically important level of diversity organization, not just a taxonomic rank, that persists in the environment based on congeneric species replacement due to relatively high functional overlap (gene sharing), with important consequences for the success of the lineage, and similar to the success of a species via strain-replacement. Further, our results showed that successful species were typically accompanied by the emergence of their own viral cohorts, whose intra-cohort diversity appeared to strongly covary with, and likely drive, the intra-host diversity. Collectively, our results show that brine communities are ecologically resilient and continuously adapting to changing environments by transitioning to alternative stable states.
Current Concepts in Molecular Breast Imaging
Authors: Patel Miral M , Adrada Beatriz E , Guirguis Mary S , Whitman Gary , Moseley Tanya W , Rauch Gaiane M
Published: October 2024

Molecular breast imaging (MBI) is a functional imaging modality that utilizes technetium 99m sestamibi radiotracer uptake to evaluate the biology of breast tumors. Molecular breast imaging can be a useful tool for supplemental screening of women with dense breasts, for breast cancer diagnosis and staging, and for evaluation of treatment response in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant systemic therapy. In addition, MBI is useful in problem-solving when mammography and US imaging are insufficient to arrive at a definite diagnosis and for patients who cannot undergo breast MRI. Based on the BI-RADS lexicon, a standardized lexicon has been developed to aid radiologists in MBI reporting. In this article, we review MBI equipment, procedures, and lexicon; clinical indications for MBI; and the radiation dose associated with MBI.