bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
European Respiratory Society Research Seminar on Preventing Pediatric Asthma
Authors: Grigg Jonathan , Barratt Benjamin , Bønnelykke Klaus , Custovic Adnan , Ege Markus , Pasquali Christian , Palomares Oscar , Shaheen Seif , Sokolowska Milena , Vercelli Donata , Maizels Rick , von Mutius Erika
Published: December 2024

This report is a summary of the presentations given at the European Respiratory Society's Research Seminar on Asthma Prevention. The seminar reviewed both epidemiological and mechanistic studies and concluded that; (i) reducing exposure of pregnant women and children to air pollution will reduce incident asthma, (ii) there are promising data that both fish oil and a component of raw cow's milk prevent asthma, and (iii) modulating trained immunity by either mimicking helminth infection or oral and sublingual bacterial products is a promising area of research.
Strain‐Engineered 2D Materials: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Katiyar Ajit Kumar , Ahn Jong‐Hyun
Published: December 2024

Strain engineering is a powerful strategy that can strongly influence and tune the intrinsic characteristics of materials by incorporating lattice deformations. Due to atomically thin thickness, 2D materials are excellent candidates for strain engineering as they possess inherent mechanical flexibility and stretchability, which allow them to withstand large strains. The application of strain affects the atomic arrangement in the lattice of 2D material, which modify the electronic band structure. It subsequently tunes the electrical and optical characteristics, thereby enhances the performance and functionalities of the fabricated devices. Recent advances in strain engineering strategies for large‐area flexible devices fabricated with 2D materials enable dynamic modulation of device performance. This perspective provides an overview of the strain engineering approaches employed so far for straining 2D materials, reviewing their advantages and disadvantages. The effect of various strains (uniaxial, biaxial, hydrostatic) on the characteristics of 2D material is also discussed, with a particular emphasis on electronic and optical properties. The strain‐inducing methods employed for large‐area device applications based on 2D materials are summarized. In addition, the future perspectives of strain engineering in functional devices, along with the associated challenges and potential solutions, are also outlined.
Introduction
Authors: Carrera Sergio , Colombi Davide
Published: December 2024

This Book presents the background and the current state of play of EU law and policy covering irregularised migration.
Correlation functions in $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$-deformed theories on the torus
Authors: Barel Netanel
Published: December 2024

Abstract

We study the correlation functions of local operators in unitary $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

-deformed field theories defined on a torus, using their formulation in terms of Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity. We focus on the two-point correlation functions in momentum space when the undeformed theory is a conformal field theory. The large momentum behavior of the correlation functions is computed and compared to that of $$ \textrm{T}\overline{\textrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

-deformed field theories defined on a plane. For the latter, the behavior found was $$ {\left(\frac{\sqrt{t}\left|q\right|}{\pi e}\right)}^{-\frac{tq^2}{\pi }} $$

t

q

πe

−

tq
2

π

, where q is the momentum and t is the deformation parameter. For a torus, the same behavior is found for |q| ≪ L/t, where L is the torus’ length scale. However, for |q| ≫ L/t, a different behavior is found: $$ {\left(\frac{2{\sqrt{t}}^5{q}^2}{\pi e{L}^3{\left|T\right|}^2}\right)}^{\frac{tq^2}{\pi }} $$

2

t

5

q
2

πe

L
3

T

2

tq
2

π

, where T is the complex structure of the torus. Hence, at large momentum, the correlator decays and then grows. This behavior suggests that operators carrying momentum q are smeared on a distance scale t|q|. The difference from the plane’s result illustrates the non-locality of the theory and the UV-IR mixing.
Hypershadows of higher dimensional black objects: a case study of cohomogeneity-one d=5 Myers-Perry
Authors: Novo João P. A. , Cunha Pedro V. P. , Herdeiro Carlos A. R.
Published: December 2024

Abstract

What does a black hole look like? In 1 + 3 spacetime dimensions, the optical appearance of a black hole is a bidimensional region in the observer’s sky often called the black hole shadow, as supported by the EHT observations. In higher dimensions this question is more subtle and observational setup dependent. Previous studies considered the shadows of higher dimensional black holes to remain bidimensional. We argue that the latter should be regarded as a tomography of a higher dimensional structure, the hypershadow, which would be the structure “seen” by higher dimensional observers. As a case study we consider the cohomogeneity-one Myers-Perry black hole in 1 + 4 dimensions, and compute its tridimensional hypershadow.
Heterotic strings and quantum entanglement
Authors: Dabholkar Atish , Moitra Upamanyu
Published: December 2024

Abstract

We construct ℤN orbifolds of the ten-dimensional heterotic string theories appropriate for implementing the stringy replica method for the calculation of quantum entanglement entropy. A novel feature for the heterotic string is that the gauge symmetry must be broken by a Wilson line to ensure modular invariance. We completely classify the patterns of symmetry breaking. We show that the tachyonic contributions in all cases can be analytically continued, with a finite answer in the domain 0 < N ≤ 1, relevant for calculating entanglement entropy across the Rindler horizon. We discuss the physical implications of our results.
Spin-refined partition functions and $$ \mathcal{CRT} $$ black holes
Authors: Grabovsky David , Kolanowski Maciej
Published: December 2024

Abstract

We investigate spin-refined partition functions in AdS/CFT using Euclidean gravitational path integrals. We construct phase diagrams for ZX = Tr(e−βHX) in various dimensions and for different choices of discrete isometry X, discovering rich structures at finite temperature. When X is a reflection, ZX counts the difference between the number of even- and odd-spin microstates. The high-temperature regime is universally dominated by $$ \mathcal{CRT} $$
CRT
-twisted black holes in any dimension, and in odd spacetime dimensions we examine whether complex rotating black hole solutions can contribute to spin-refined observables or potentially dominate at finite temperature. We also analyze the microcanonical ensemble. There the leading contribution almost always comes from rotating black holes, showing that the two ensembles are not necessarily equivalent.
Regular logarithmic connections
Authors: Achinger Piotr
Published: December 2024

We introduce the notion of a regular integrable connection on a smooth log scheme over $$\textbf{C}$$
C
and construct an equivalence between the category of such connections and the category of integrable connections on its analytification, compatible with de Rham cohomology. This extends the work of Deligne (when the log structure is trivial), and combined with the work of Ogus yields a topological description of the category of regular connections in terms of certain constructible sheaves on the Kato–Nakayama space. The key ingredients are the notion of a canonical extension in this context and the existence of good compactifications of log schemes obtained recently by Włodarczyk.
The epibiont Xenobalanus globicipitis indicates differences in swimming kinematics among cetaceans
Authors: Ten Sofía , Fusar Poli Francesca , Konishi Kenji , Pastene Luis A. , Martín Vidal , Raga Juan Antonio , Aznar Francisco Javier
Published: December 2024

Most research on cetacean swimming has been conducted on captive dolphins due to limited accessibility to wild cetaceans. Epibiotic barnacles have been used as indirect evidence of cetacean hydrodynamics, given their lifelong association with cetaceans and dependence on water flow. Previous studies suggested that the spatial distribution of the barnacle Xenobalanus globicipitis on the tail flukes of striped dolphins (i.e., higher load in the center and dorsal side) sheds light on dolphin hydrodynamics. The present study investigates whether these spatial patterns are shared among 13 cetacean species: 1 species of baleen whale (N=33), 3 beaked whales (N=11), and delphinids: 3 globicephalines (N=21) and 6 smaller dolphins (N=118). We found higher barnacle densities on the dorsal side of the flukes of delphinids, particularly in the smaller species (mostly subfamily Delphininae); whereas both fluke sides of the whales were equally colonized. The center of the flukes was generally a preferred settlement location for X. globicipitis, although it became less predictable in the ventral side of dolphins. Our findings conform to evidence on cetacean morphokinematics: while large odontocetes and whales have greater mobility in their torso during swimming, dolphins rely mostly on asymmetric fluke oscillation, likely favoring a set of more favorable conditions for barnacle settlement on the dorsal fluke side of dolphins (i.e., higher cyprid advection and lower shear stress). Also, the interaction of the dorsal fin vortices with the flow at the flukes could be more pronounced in dolphins. An additional effect of dolphin aerial behavior cannot be ruled out. This study provides novel indirect evidence on cetacean swimming performance, highlighting possible nuances between ecomorphological groups, and underlines that epibionts are a cost-effective tool for studying wild cetaceans.
Healthcare professionals’ promotion of physical activity to people living with and beyond head and neck cancer: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Doughty Hannah C. , Woolfall Kerry , Hill Ruaraidh A. , Midgley Adrian W. , Patterson Joanne M. , Boddy Lynne M. , Rogers Simon N. , Williams Nefyn H.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Physical activity (PA) can improve health-related outcomes for head and neck cancer (HaNC) patients, and PA guidance from healthcare professionals’ can increase patients’ PA levels. However, less than 9% of HaNC patients are physically active. This study explored healthcare professionals’ promotion of PA across the National Health Service (NHS) in North West England and North Wales, to HaNC patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey exploring healthcare professionals’ promotion of PA in HaNC. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form was used to estimate healthcare professionals’ PA levels. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive or inferential statistics and qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Data were synthesized drawing on the capability-opportunity-motivation-behavior model and theoretical domains framework.

Results

Eighty-one professionals participated. Fifty-three percent self-reported high levels of PA. Seventy-five percent considered PA promotion as part of their role; however, only 39% discussed PA with their patients (reflective motivation and social/professional role and identity). Only 38% felt confident initiating PA discussions and 76% reported needing further training. Training on the benefits of PA for HaNC patients and how to encourage health-related behavior change were identified as beneficial (psychological capability and knowledge).

Conclusion

Healthcare professionals are influential in enabling patients to adopt health-related behavior change; however, PA promotion was not routine practice for professionals involved in the care of HaNC patients. Training should be provided to professionals on PA promotion, with a focus on behavior change techniques. Future research should explore how behavior change techniques can be implemented into clinical practice to improve health-related outcomes in HaNC.
The tensile behaviour of paper under high loading rates
Authors: Baumann Georg , Czibula Caterina , Hirn Ulrich , Feist Florian
Published: December 2024

This work deals with the strain-rate dependent characterization of paper under uniaxial tension at high strain-rates. Experiments were performed involving a Split Hopkinson bar for high strain-rate testing, comparing the results with conventional quasi-static tests. Tests were conducted in a strain-rate range between 0.0083 and 212 s−1, which is equivalent to testing velocities between 0.0003 and roughly 13.6 m/s. For the first time the change in tensile behaviour of paper is comprehensively characterized and modelled, using the Cowper-Symonds model for strain-rate hardening. The experimental tests showed that the tensile strength as well as the initial stiffness were gradually increasing with increasing strain-rate. The increase in tensile strength between the lowest and the highest strain-rate was 58% on average whereas the mean increase in stiffness between these two strain-rates was almost 115%. Regarding the fracture strain, it was observed that it significantly decreases with increasing strain-rate. While the average fracture strain of the quasi-static tests was at roughly 6% it was close to 3% for the dynamic tests. In case of the Split Hopkinson bar tests, high-speed videos of the samples were made to determine their elongation via target tracking and digital image correlation (DIC). We found that strain localization, which is a highly relevant mechanism for quasi-static tensile failure, is likely related to short term plastic creep of the material as strain localization nearly entirely disappears at high loading rates of paper.
Associations of milk, dairy products, calcium and vitamin D intake with risk of developing Parkinson´s disease within the EPIC4ND cohort
Authors: Gröninger Mareike , Sabin Jara , Kaaks Rudolf , Amiano Pilar , Aune Dagfinn , Castro Natalia Cabrera , Guevara Marcela , Hansen Johnni , Homann Jan , Masala Giovanna , Nicolas Geneviève , Peters Susan , Sacerdote Carlotta , Sánchez Maria-Jose , De Magistris Maria Santucci , Sieri Sabina , Vermeulen Roel , Zhao Yujia , Lill Christina M. , Katzke Verena A.
Published: December 2024

Literature indicates a potential association between dairy consumption and risk of Parkinson´s disease (PD), especially among men, yet the results remain inconclusive. We investigated this association in a large prospective European cohort. Dietary and non-dietary data was collected from 183,225 participants of the EPIC-for-Neurodegenerative-Diseases (EPIC4ND) cohort, a sub-cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Crude and multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were employed to examine potential associations between baseline dietary intake of dairy, calcium and vitamin D with incident PD risk. No relationship was observed between dairy consumption (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.82–1.39), individual dairy products (milk: HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.73–1.23; yogurt: HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.82–1.29; cheese: HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.85–1.51), or vitamin D (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.80–1.45) with PD risk. However, we observed a risk-increasing association with higher calcium intakes (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.00-1.78, p for trend = 0.031), which was more pronounced in men (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.00-2.25, p for trend = 0.044) and in ever smokers (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.06–2.53, p for trend = 0.014). No compelling evidence was found for an association between dairy products or vitamin D intake and PD risk indicating a potentially limited relevance of dairy intake in PD risk than previously described. Our observations of a positive association between dietary calcium intake and PD risk in men and in ever smokers require further validation.
Divergent Perceptions of ADHD among Diagnosed Adolescents and Their Parents: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Wong Iana Y. T. , Hawes David J. , Dar-Nimrod Ilan
Published: December 2024

Differences in the perceptions of illness between patients and caregivers are associated with negative health-related outcomes. However, little is known about the correlates of divergent perceptions of ADHD among diagnosed adolescents and their parents. This study applied the Common-Sense Model of Illness Representations (CSM) to examine how parent perceptions of ADHD, including divergent parent-adolescent perceptions, relate to coping, quality of life (QoL), and treatment adherence, among adolescents with ADHD. Participants were 63 adolescents diagnosed with ADHD (10–18 years, 79.3% male, mean age = 14.28, SD = 2.07) and their parents (78.8% mothers), recruited from clinics and support services. Self-report measures were completed by adolescents and parents in isolation from one another. Results from a series of hierarchical regressions indicated that adolescents held less pessimistic views of the disorder and believed it was less biologically based than did parents. Divergent parent-adolescent perceptions regarding timeline and causes were significantly related to adolescent coping and QoL. Adolescents’ expectation of a shorter duration of ADHD was associated with reduced active coping. Their stronger attribution to insufficient efforts was associated with lower QoL. Although adolescents with a stronger belief in psychosocial causes exhibited poorer active coping and QoL, they exhibited greater active coping when their parents endorsed this belief. Taken together, these findings identify beneficial and detrimental beliefs about ADHD for both diagnosed adolescents and their parents. The results underscore the potential importance of beliefs about psychosocial causes to coping and well-being, as well as the importance of divergent parent-adolescent perceptions.
Suffixation under adjacency: the case of Icelandic the-support
Authors: Ingason Anton Karl
Published: December 2024

This paper argues in favor of the hypothesis that there are two definite articles in natural language, a weak article which expresses uniqueness and a strong article which expresses anaphoricity. The study is based on the distribution of definite articles in Icelandic, and they are found to alternate along the same empirical dimension as weak and strong articles in German. Furthermore, the Icelandic pattern manifests a structural interaction which is similar to English do-support, and we refer to it as the-support. We argue that the similarities between do-support and the-support suggest that studies of the two phenomena can benefit from considering them to be related at a deep abstract level. Thus, consequences ensue for the theory of suffixation under adjecency.
Plasma and Flow Simulation of the Ion Wind in a Surface Barrier Discharge Used for Gas Conversion Benchmarked by Schlieren Imaging
Authors: Mohsenimehr S. , Wilczek S. , Mussenbrock T. , Keudell A. von
Published: December 2024

Surface dielectric barrier discharges (sDBD) are efficient and scalable plasma sources for plasma-based gas conversion. One prominent feature of an sDBD is the generation of an ion wind, which exerts a force on the neutrals, thus leading to an efficient mixing of plasma and a passing gas stream. This becomes apparent by the creation of upstream and downstream vortices in the vicinity of the plasma. In this study, these vortices are generated by high voltage burst pulses consisting of two half cycles of an almost sinusoidal voltage shape. The vortices are monitored by Schlieren imaging diagnostic to benchmark and connect two simulations of the sDBD: a plasma model simulating a streamer for 25 ns starting from the electrode and propagating along a dielectric surface followed by a decay. The streamer is the source of electrical charges accelerated as ion wind by the applied electric field from the sDBD power supply. A second flow simulation models this ion wind as a time-averaged thrust acting on the passing gas stream. The conversion of the time-resolved forces from the nanosecond plasma simulation into the steady state thrust in the flow simulation indicates that the force from the plasma lasts much longer than the actual streamer propagation phase. This is explained by the fact that the charges in the streamer channel remain present for almost 100 ns, and the voltage from the power supply lasts for a few microseconds being applied to the electrode so that ions in the streamer channel are still accelerated even after a streamer stops to propagate after a few ns. The thrust generated during the streamer phase, including the relaxation phase, agrees well with predictions from flow simulation. Additionally, properly converting the time-resolved forces from the plasma simulation into a time-averaged thrust for the flow simulation yields exactly the synthetic Schlieren images as measured in the experiments.
Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Worsening Kidney Function: A Retrospective Cohort Study Including 122,606 Acid-Suppressing Users
Authors: González-Pérez Antonio , Martínez-Domínguez Samuel J. , Lanas Ángel , Lanas Aitor , Iñigo Pablo , García-Rodríguez Luis A.
Published: December 2024

Background

The impact of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) use on worsening renal function is controversial and lacks a solid pathophysiological explanation.

Objective

To assess the risk of worsening renal function and acute kidney injury (AKI) in PPI initiators as compared with H2-blockers initiators.

Design

Retrospective cohort study using longitudinal records from BIGAN, a population-based health database of Aragón (Spain).

Participants

PPIs (n = 119,520) and H2-blockers (n = 3,086) initiators between 2015 and 2020 with preserved renal function. They were followed until the occurrence of an adverse kidney event, death, lost to follow-up or June 2021.

Main measures

Primary endpoints were worsening kidney function (measured as sCr ≥ 2 times baseline, eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2, a decrease in eGFR 30–50% from baseline or end stage renal disease) and AKI (measured by Aberdeen algorithm or hospitalization due to AKI). Incidence rates (IRs) per 1,000 persons-years were reported and Cox regression was used to calculate Hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted for confounders.

Key results

Crude IRs for worsening kidney function were consistently lower for ranitidine than for PPIs (eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2: IR 18.7 95%CI (12.0–27.8) for ranitidine, IR 31.2 95%CI (29.9–32.5) for omeprazole). However, the risk of incident worsening function did not significantly differ in the Cox regression analysis adjusting for confounders (HR 0.99 95%CI (0.66–1.48) for omeprazole, as compared to ranitidine). PPI initiators consistently showed lower IRs of AKI using Aberdeen algorithm (IR 33.8 95%CI (32.4–35.1) for omeprazole, IR 52.8 95%CI (40.9–67.1) for ranitidine) and lower risk of AKI (HR 0.54 95%CI (0.42–0.70) for omeprazole, as compared to ranitidine).

Conclusions

No clinically relevant differences were observed for worsening kidney function between PPIs and H2-blockers initiators. PPIs users presented a reduced risk of AKI compared to ranitidine initiators.

Graphical Abstract

AKI: acute kidney injury. eGFR: estimated glomerular filtrate rate. H2-blocker: Histamine 2 receptor antagonist. PPI: proton pump inhibitor. sCr: serum creatinine.
A Conceptual Model of Learning Adaptability of Higher Vocational Students in China
Authors: Gao Qianqian , Mohamad Marlina
Published: December 2024

Vocational education plays a crucial role in China’s education system, with higher vocational education being a pivotal and dynamic aspect of the country’s educational reform. Despite this, higher vocational students often struggle with lethargy and inadequate adaptation to their studies. This paper constructs a conceptual model of learning adaptability by systematically coding and analyzing textual materials, such as literature, research reports, news, and interviews, pertaining to learning adaptability using grounded theory. The aim is to address the diverse factors influencing learning adaptability. The research revealed that the fundamental categories shaping learning adaptability encompass students’ psychological, academic, and personal growth states. To enhance learning adaptability, proactive intervention is necessary within these core categories outlined in the model, guiding students to anticipate and understand the challenges they may encounter. Notably, there remains a dearth of theoretical research on the learning adaptability of higher vocational students. This study aims to significantly contribute to improving teaching effectiveness in this domain.
Developing generative AI functionalities in a social LMS
Authors: Zhao Mengyuan , Kumari Puja , Madhavan Perumal Eashwar , Hou Zhen
Published: December 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has experienced exponential growth in recent years, profoundly transforming various aspects of life, particularly in education. As a team of educational technology innovators, we have developed a series of generative AI features within our social learning management system, CourseNetworking, to boost student engagement in online discussions and enhance instructor efficiency. This article introduces three key features: automated hashtagging, automated post reflection, and AI-driven quiz question generation. We examine the goals and technical implementation of each feature, present solutions to challenges encountered during development and deployment, and share the best practices we have accumulated. Additionally, we outline our plans for future advancements. This paper seeks to foster understanding and collaboration among developers, educators, institutional leaders, and researchers, with the aim of using AI technology to improve educational products and services, ultimately elevating learning experiences and outcomes.
An inverse Grassmannian Littlewood–Richardson rule and extensions
Authors: Pechenik Oliver , Weigandt Anna
Published: December 2024

Chow rings of flag varieties have bases of Schubert cycles

$\sigma _u $

, indexed by permutations. A major problem of algebraic combinatorics is to give a positive combinatorial formula for the structure constants of this basis. The celebrated Littlewood–Richardson rules solve this problem for special products

$\sigma _u \cdot \sigma _v$

, where u and v are p-Grassmannian permutations.

Building on work of Wyser, we introduce backstable clans to prove such a rule for the problem of computing the product

$\sigma _u \cdot \sigma _v$

when u is p-inverse Grassmannian and v is q-inverse Grassmannian. By establishing several new families of linear relations among structure constants, we further extend this result to obtain a positive combinatorial rule for

$\sigma _u \cdot \sigma _v$

in the case that u is covered in weak Bruhat order by a p-inverse Grassmannian permutation and v is a q-inverse Grassmannian permutation.
Aerothermodynamics of a sphere in a monatomic gas based on ab initio interatomic potentials over a wide range of gas rarefaction: subsonic flows
Authors: Sharipov Felix , Volkov Alexey N.
Published: December 2024

Aerothermodynamic characteristics of a sphere in a subsonic flow are calculated over a broad range of gas rarefaction by the direct simulation Monte Carlo method based on ab initio interatomic potentials and Cercignani–Lampis surface scattering kernel. Calculations of the drag and average energy transfer coefficients are performed for various noble gases in the range of Mach number from 0.1 to 1. The obtained results point out that the influence of the interatomic potential is weak in subsonic flows. A comparison of the present results with a linear theory shows that the numerical solutions at Mach number equal to 0.1 are close to those obtained from the linearized kinetic equation in the transitional and free-molecular regimes. In the near-continuum flow regime, the difference between the present solution and the linear theory is significant. To reveal the effects of the gas–surface accommodation, a few sets of the tangential momentum and normal energy accommodation coefficients are considered in simulations. It is shown that the effect of the accommodation coefficients on the sphere drag is not trivial, and, for non-diffuse scattering, the drag coefficient can be either larger or smaller than that for diffuse scattering. The effect of the sphere temperature is also investigated and the calculated values of the average energy transfer coefficient are used to find the Stanton number, recovery factor and adiabatic surface temperature. The numerical results for the sphere drag and energy transfer are compared with the semi-empirical fitting equations known from the literature.
Exponential decay for constrained-degree percolation
Authors: dos Santos Diogo C. , Silva Roger W. C.
Published: December 2024

We consider the constrained-degree percolation model in a random environment (CDPRE) on the square lattice. In this model, each vertex v has an independent random constraint

$\kappa_v$

which takes the value

$j\in \{0,1,2,3\}$

with probability

$\rho_j$

. The dynamics is as follows: at time

$t=0$

all edges are closed; each edge e attempts to open at a random time

$U(e)\sim \mathrm{U}(0,1]$

, independently of all the other edges. It succeeds if at time U(e) both its end vertices have degrees strictly smaller than their respective constraints. We obtain exponential decay of the radius of the open cluster of the origin at all times when its expected size is finite. Since CDPRE is dominated by Bernoulli percolation, this result is meaningful only if the supremum of all values of t for which the expected size of the open cluster of the origin is finite is larger than

$\frac12$

. We prove this last fact by showing a sharp phase transition for an intermediate model.
Dissimilar local risk factors among patients diagnosed with cystic echinococcosis upon voluntary screening in highly endemic regions of Kyrgyz Republic
Authors: Raimkulov Kursanbek M. , Toigombaeva Vera S. , Kuttubaev Omurbek T. , Smailbekova Zhyldyz S. , Adambekova Asel D. , Ruzina Maria N. , Akhmadishina Lyudmila V. , Lukashev Alexander N.
Published: December 2024

Echinococcosis is a parasitic invasion caused by a cestode of the genus Echinococcus. Kyrgyzstan is a country in Central Asia known for an extremely high incidence of echinococcosis. A total of 10 093 subjects were screened in the Osh, Naryn and Batken regions of Kyrgyzstan in 2015–2017 by ultrasound and questioned for potential risk factors. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) prevalence (combined newly diagnosed and post-surgery cases) ranged between 0.2 and 25.2% across the study regions. Typical factors, such as dog or livestock ownership, weakly affected CE risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18–1.83). Use of water from a well and owning a cat had a greater effect on CE risk (OR = 2.02–2.28). The risk factors of CE were highly dissimilar among the study regions, with patterns not always compatible with classical biohelminthosis transmission routes (no risk from livestock in certain areas, significant risk from using well water, owning cats). Therefore, the CE epidemic in Kyrgyzstan is not holistic in terms of potential mechanisms and risk factors, and certain areas can greatly benefit from preventive measures that will have limited efficiency elsewhere.
Environmental influences on the distribution and ecology of the fluke intermediate host Galba truncatula: a systematic review
Authors: Smith Christopher David , Morgan Eric René , Jones Rhys Aled
Published: December 2024

Galba truncatula is one of the most distributed intermediate hosts of Fasciola hepatica across Europe, North Africa and South America. Therefore, understanding the environmental preferences of this species is vital for developing control strategies for fascioliasis and other trematodes such as Calicophoron daubneyi. This systematic literature review evaluates the current understanding of the snail's environmental preferences to identify factors which might aid control and areas where further research is needed. Searches were conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed and included papers published up to August 2023. After filtration, 198 papers with data from 64 countries were evaluated, and data regarding habitat type and habitat pH were noted, along with any other information pertaining to the snail's environmental preferences. The results show that G. truncatula can survive in a diverse range of climates and habitats, generally favours shallow slow-moving water or moist bare mud surfaces, temperatures between 10 and 25°C and was found in habitats with a water pH ranging from 5.0 to 9.4. However, there is limited understanding of the impact of several factors, such as the true optimum pH and temperature preferences within the respective tolerance limits or the reason for the snail's apparent aversion to peatland. Further research is needed to clarify the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on the snail to create robust risk assessments of fluke infection and assess opportunities for environmental control strategies, and for predicting how the snail and fluke transmission may be impacted by climate change.
Expression and serodiagnostic efficacy of a novel echinococcosis-specific recombinant fusion antigen rAgB8/1-Em18-Eg95
Authors: Xianwei Yang , Tao Wang , Yin Chen , Wentao Wang
Published: December 2024

Echinococcosis lacks sensitive serological diagnostic tools. The echinococcosis-specific antigens Eg95, AgB8/1 and the Em18 gene sequences were fused and expressed as the novel recombinant antigens rAgB8/1-Em18-Eg95 (T3) and rEm18-Eg95 (T2), used for the diagnosis of hydatid disease, prepared into an enzyme-linked immunosorbent reaction (ELISA) kit, and evaluated for their serological diagnostic value. The relative molecular weight of the T3 protein was 88.1 kDa, the purified concentration was 1.5 mg mL−1, and the purity was 80%. The relative molecular weight of T2 protein was 79.9 kDa, the total protein concentration was 0.5 mg mL−1, and the purity was less than 50%. The overall coincidence rate of T2 protein was low, and it was impossible to distinguish between negative and positive sera. The T3 antigen was coated at 1.0 μg mL−1, the cutoff value was 0.5271, and the serum dilution ratio was 1:400. A T3 ELISA kits (96 tests) was constructed to detect the serum of 272 clinically and pathologically confirmed cases. The sensitivity of T3 was 93.8%, and the specificity was 83.3%. The parasite cross-reaction was 30%. Satisfactorily, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the T3 OD value and lesion diameter was 0.707, showing a strong correlation. T3 exhibits better antigenicity than T2, and the prepared T3 ELISA diagnostic kits reached the laboratory diagnostic level of a commercial kits. T3 can distinguish human cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) more significantly and predict the diameter of lesions according to the OD value, which provides practical value for drug or surgical efficacy.
Results of health technology assessments of orphan drugs in Germany—lack of added benefit, evidence gaps, and persisting unmet medical needs
Authors: Kranz Philip , McGauran Natalie , Ünal Can , Kaiser Thomas
Published: December 2024

Background

The number of orphan drug (OD) approvals has increased sharply in Europe. In Germany, all ODs are initially subject to a limited assessment after market access. Their added benefit over the standard of care is accepted as established upon EU approval; a regular health technology assessment (HTA) is performed only in certain cases.

Objective

We assessed whether the increase in OD approvals has led to improvements in patient-relevant outcomes as supported by the evidence submitted by market authorization holders (MAHs) for HTA in Germany. We also examined the extent to which these ODs address unmet medical needs.

Methods

The results of limited assessments and regular HTAs of ODs in Germany (January 2011–September 2021, plus January–December 2023) were analyzed to determine their added benefit based on MAH-submitted dossiers. Added benefit was reported separately for each research question generated from the EU-approved therapeutic indications and any sub-indications (e.g., different subpopulations or control interventions) specified for HTA in Germany.

Results

Eighty-nine ODs (limited assessments: sixty-nine; regular HTAs: twenty) were evaluated in 175 research questions (limited assessments: ninety-seven; regular HTAs: seventy-eight). The added benefit granted in limited assessments was non-quantifiable in nearly eighty percent of the ninety-seven questions. In regular HTAs, no proof of added benefit was shown in fifty-four percent of the seventy-eight questions, mainly due to insufficient comparative data with the standard of care. Established treatments were available for fifty-eight percent of the seventy-eight questions; more than half of which addressed oncology indications (although these account for only eight percent of rare diseases).

Conclusions

Due to evidence gaps in post-approval HTA, many ODs approved in the EU lack proof of added benefit in terms of improving patient-relevant outcomes. Moreover, most approved ODs are indicated for diseases with established treatments and oncology indications, while many unmet medical needs remain. Incentives are required to encourage research in areas of unmet medical need and to generate comparative data with the standard of care.
Connectivity in VTS area via social network analysis: focused on South Korea case
Authors: Park Sangwon , Kim So-Ra , Park Youngsoo , Camliyurt Gokhan
Published: December 2024

Vessel traffic services (VTS) is a marine information exchange system vital for the safety and efficiency of ship traffic within designated regions. The harmonisation, integration and exchange of marine information have emerged as significant components in promoting maritime safety, in line with the concept of e-navigation. This study aimed to analyse the flow of information between VTS areas employing social network analysis to ensure seamless marine information exchange across VTS areas. Information flow was analysed based on data obtained from ships navigating through coastal waters and ports in Korea, revealing that the sea area near Busan New Port exhibited the highest concentration of information flow, while the Tongyoung Coast VTS area represented a critical link in the flow of information. Given its history of marine accidents, the current Masan (Opko) VTS region emerged as a susceptible area. The study provides valuable foundational data for a comprehensive coastal surveillance system.
Performance of GNSS space service for geostationary autonomous operations
Authors: Jiao Fangtan , Hu Yuxin , Yu Xiaodong
Published: December 2024

The geostationary orbit (GEO) belt hosts a substantial number of high-value satellites, making the study of autonomous navigation within this area significant. Features of autonomous operations such as patrolling the GEO belt and frequent manoeuvres at a certain location make real-time positioning using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) valuable. This paper studies the performance of positioning with GNSS considering main lobe and side lobe signals at different longitudes in the GEO belt. The research delves into the visibility and Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) across the GEO belt, analysing the performance of the Global Positioning System (GPS), GLObalnaya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) in Russian, BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), Galileo Navigation Satellite System (Galileo) and multi-systems. In particular, this paper investigates the impact of asymmetric constellations of mixed GEO, Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. The study reveals that BDS hybrid constellation provides long-term stable signal coverage over the GEO space above North America and Atlantic Ocean, where GEO signals are more sustainable while IGSO signals have wider coverage. This advantage positions BDS favourably in terms of performance in these regions.
Postwar development of offshore energy resources: Legal and political models for developing the Gaza Marine gas field
Authors: Rettig Elai , Friedman Shani , Spanier Benny
Published: December 2024

This article examines the case of Gaza Marine, a small offshore natural gas reservoir in Gaza that has remained undeveloped since its discovery in 2000. Due to the complicated political status of the Gaza Strip over the past two decades, neither the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, nor Israel could claim full rights to Gaza’s maritime zones or develop the Gaza Marine field. However, the devastating 2023 Israel-Hamas war created four possible scenarios of administration over Gaza, each with its own legal implications for the development rights of the field. These scenarios include Palestinian independence, continued Israeli occupation, international transitional administration (ITA) over Gaza, or partial Israeli annexation of Gaza. This article argues that the development of Gaza Marine is a vital part of Gaza’s postwar reconstruction and is possible under these scenarios, the most understudied of which is the ITA model. This article can thus serve as a roadmap for other postwar coastal territories with contested rights over offshore energy deposits.
Poisonous pitohuis as pets
Authors: Nijman Vincent , Abdullah Abdullah , Ardiansyah Ahmad , Chavez Jessica , Fairey Amanda , Hedger Katherine , Langgeng Abdullah , Nelson S. Sunny , Payuse I. Nyoman Aji Duranegara , Shepherd Chris R. , Nekaris K. Anne-Isola
Published: December 2024

Poisonous birds are rare but on New Guinea, including Indonesia’s easternmost provinces, no less than nine poisonous species, eight pitohuis and one species of ifrita, are found. Pitohuis when handled can cause sneezing with numbness and burning of nasal tissue and nausea in humans. In the bird markets of western Indonesia novelty birds are traded at a premium and overexploitation of popular songbirds leads traders to find replacement species to meet demand. We conducted over 800 surveys in the bird markets of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, and Sulawesi between 1994 and 2023 and from 2015 onwards we assessed the online trade in pitohuis and Blue-capped Ifrit Ifrita kowaldi. We identified the species, recorded their prices and location, and the date when the birds were offered for sale. We analysed temporal trends, volumes, prices, and geographical origin of the sellers. Between 1994 and 2014 we did not encounter a single pitohui in the Indonesian bird markets. In the following years we recorded 113 pitohuis in 12 bird markets and we recorded 199 pitohuis for sale online; 248 were variable pitohuis and 54 were Hooded Pitohui Pitohui dichrous. No ifritas were recorded. Most pitohuis were recorded in eastern Java and Bali. Prices differed between eastern Java (mean of US$93) and western Java and Bali (US$185), possibly suggesting pitohuis arrive from West Papua in eastern Java and from there make their way to the outer markets. Pitohuis are marketed as “Papuan Straw-headed Bulbuls”; the Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus is a very popular and expensive songbird from Southeast Asia, including western Indonesia, that has become rare both in the wild and in the markets due to overexploitation. Discussions about pitohuis on online forums rarely mention “poisonous” but when it is mentioned traders dismiss this as something not to worry about and they claim it to be dietary-dependent. Poisonous pitohuis are novelty, as well as master, birds in Indonesia, where they are marketed for their song ignoring any negative side-effects of them being poisonous. The trade in novelty species, when detected early, does allow for the authorities to intervene in a timely manner to ensure that this trade does not impede their conservation.
SYMMETRY RESTORATION IN COLLISIONS OF SOLITONS IN FRACTIONAL COUPLERS
Authors: STRUNIN DMITRY V. , MALOMED BORIS A. , MCKEIVER JOSHUA L.
Published: December 2024

Recently, we analysed spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) of solitons in linearly coupled dual-core waveguides with fractional diffraction and cubic nonlinearity. In a practical context, the system can serve as a model for optical waveguides with the fractional diffraction or Bose–Einstein condensate of particles with Lévy index

$\alpha <2$

. In an earlier study, the SSB in the fractional coupler was identified as the bifurcation of subcritical type, becoming extremely subcritical in the limit of

$\alpha \rightarrow 1$

. There, the moving solitons and collisions between them at low speeds were also explored. In the present paper, we present new numerical results for fast solitons demonstrating restoration of symmetry in post-collision dynamics.
Hometown Advantage: Voter Preferences for Community Embeddedness in Local Contests
Authors: Ornstein Joseph T. , Heideman Amanda J. , Moy Bryant J. , Schiff Kaylyn Jackson
Published: December 2024

Every year, Americans elect hundreds of thousands of candidates to local public office, typically in low-attention, nonpartisan races. How do voters evaluate candidates in these sorts of elections? Previous research suggests that, absent party cues, voters rely on a set of heuristic shortcuts – including the candidate’s name, profession, and interest group endorsements – to decide whom to support. In this paper, we suggest that community embeddedness – a candidate’s roots and ties to the community – is particularly salient in these local contests. We present evidence from a conjoint survey experiment on a nationally representative sample of American voters. We estimate the marginal effect on vote share of candidate attributes such as gender, race, age, profession, interest group endorsements, and signals of community embeddedness – specifically homeownership and residency duration. We find that voters, regardless of political party, have strong preferences for community embeddedness. Strikingly, the magnitude of the residency duration effect rivals that of prior political experience.
PPB-Affinity: Protein-Protein Binding Affinity dataset for AI-based protein drug discovery
Authors: Liu Huaqing , Chen Peiyi , Zhai Xiaochen , Huo Ku-Geng , Zhou Shuxian , Han Lanqing , Fan Guoxin
Published: December 2024

Prediction of protein-protein binding (PPB) affinity plays an important role in large-molecular drug discovery. Deep learning (DL) has been adopted to predict the changes of PPB binding affinities upon mutations, but there was a scarcity of studies predicting the PPB affinity itself. The major reason is the paucity of open-source dataset with PPB affinity data. To address this gap, the current study introduced a large comprehensive PPB affinity (PPB-Affinity) dataset. The PPB-Affinity dataset contains key information such as crystal structures of protein-protein complexes (with or without protein mutation patterns), PPB affinity, receptor protein chain, ligand protein chain, etc. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest publicly available PPB affinity dataset, and we believe it will significantly advance drug discovery by streamlining the screening of potential large-molecule drugs. We also developed a deep-learning benchmark model with this dataset to predict the PPB affinity, providing a foundational comparison for the research community.
HBSP: a hybrid bilinear and semidefinite programming approach for aligning partially overlapping point clouds
Authors: Lian Wei , Ma Fei , Cui Zhesen , Pan Hang
Published: December 2024

In many applications, there is a need for algorithms that can align partially overlapping point clouds while remaining invariant to corresponding transformations. This research presents a method that achieves these goals by minimizing a binary linear assignment-least squares (BLALS) energy function. First, we reformulate the BLALS problem as the minimization of a quadratic function with quadratic and linear constraints through variable substitution. By utilizing semidefinite relaxation and the convex envelope of bilinear monomials, we relax the problem to create a lower bound that can be solved using linear assignment and low-dimensional semidefinite programming. Additionally, we develop a branch-and-bound (BnB) algorithm that only branches over the transformation variable, which enhances convergence. Experimental results show that, compared to state-of-the-art approaches, the proposed method is robust against non-rigid deformation and outliers when the outliers are separate from the inliers. However, its robustness decreases when outliers are mixed with inliers. The run time of our method is relatively high due to the need to solve a semidefinite program in each iteration of the BnB algorithm.