bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical Origin of Threshold Switching in Amorphous Chromium‐Doped V2O3
Authors: Mohr Johannes , Bengel Christopher , Hennen Tyler , Bedau Daniel , Menzel Stephan , Waser Rainer , Wouters Dirk J.
Published: November 2023

Devices made of amorphous thin films of the prototypical Mott‐insulator chromium‐doped V2O3 show a threshold and negative differential resistance effect after an electroforming step. Here, it is demonstrated that this effect is caused by the formation of a crystalline filament, in which a thermal runaway effect can occur. A compact model is developed that can describe the switching behavior as well as its inherent variability. The influence of the doping concentration and oxygen stoichiometry on the switching behavior is characterized and by fitting the model to the experimental data, the underlying physical changes are extracted.
Two new species of small‐bodied pachycephalosaurine (Dinosauria, Marginocephalia) from the uppermost Cretaceous of North America suggest hidden diversity in well‐sampled formations
Authors: Woodruff D. Cary , Schott Ryan K. , Evans David C.
Published: November 2023

Here we report two new small‐bodied pachycephalosaurines: one from the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta and the other from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, each represented by an isolated squamosal. These two new specimens are approximately the same size as squamosals of Sphaerotholus buchholtzae, and possess several overlapping morphologies with the genus (such as a strongly posteroventrally projecting and laterally tapering parietosquamosal bar). Therefore, these two new specimens are identified as belonging to the genus Sphaerotholus. However, a suite of characters and combinations differentiate these two new specimens from the other three Sphaerotholus species. Most notably, they possess multiple posterior and lateral node rows on the squamosal, and lack a parietosquamosal node (a single row and a parietosquamosal node define these other species in the genus). Specifically, the Alberta specimen possesses two posterior and two lateral node rows, whereas the Montana specimen has three of each. This analysis provides phylogenetic support for the evolutionary hypothesis that a single‐rowed and parietosquamosal node‐less taxon underwent a cladogenetic event that gave rise to a single‐rowed and parietosquamosal node‐bearing lineage and a multi‐rowed, parietosquamosal node‐less lineage (the two taxa described herein). In turn, these two Sphaerotholus lineages possibly underwent anagenetic change throughout the latest Maastrichtian. Additionally, these new taxa suggest that while large‐bodied taxa from well sampled formations are to be found with decreasing frequency, the inverse holds true for small‐bodied taxa and that pachycephalosaurines were more diverse than previously recognized, and continued to diversify up until the very end of the Cretaceous.
“No More Strategy of the Week”: Considerations for Connecting Comprehension Instruction Back to the Book
Authors: Conradi Smith Kristin , Williams Tamara W. , Frackelton Ellen P.
Published: November 2023

In this article, we present some considerations for abandoning decontextualized strategy instruction and instead provide some ideas for how to shape comprehension instruction around the texts we use in the classroom. We offer some guiding theories, some key considerations, and we present examples for classroom teachers.
Effects of large carnivores, hunter harvest, and weather on the mortality of moose calves in a partially migratory population
Authors: Ausilio Giorgia , Sand Håkan , Wikenros Camilla , Aronsson Malin , Milleret Cyril , Nordli Kristoffer , Wabakken Petter , Eriksen Ane , Persson Jens , Maartmann Erling , Mathisen Karen‐Marie , Zimmermann Barbara
Published: November 2023

Survival of juvenile ungulates represents an important demographic parameter that influences population dynamics within ecosystems. In many ecological systems, the mortality of juvenile ungulates is influenced by various factors, including predation by large carnivores, human hunting activities and weather. While wolves Canis lupus are known to prey on moose Alces alces throughout all seasons, brown bears Ursus arctos primarily engage in predation during early summer, while human harvest primarily occurs in autumn and early winter. Hence, understanding the impacts of predation, harvest, and weather on the survival of juvenile moose is crucial for adaptive population management and the determination of sustainable harvest rates. To investigate the summer and autumn–winter survival of moose calves in relation to carnivore occurrence (wolf presence and bear density), summer habitat productivity, winter severity, human harvest, and migratory behaviour (migratory versus resident), we analysed data collected from 39 GPS‐collared female moose in south‐central Scandinavia. Our findings revealed significant interannual variation in summer survival rates, with areas with relatively higher bear densities exhibiting calf mortality rates twice as high as those in regions with low bear density. During the autumn–winter period, calf survival was lowest in the presence of wolves and deep snow, and it exhibited a negative correlation with the proportion of clearcuts and young forests within the mother's home range. Additionally, calf survival was negatively correlated with the risk of human hunting, and calves of stationary females displayed ten times higher survival rates compared to migratory individuals. Our study provides valuable insights into the survival of moose calves coexisting with two large carnivores and humans. Improving our understanding of the mechanisms causing calf survival to fluctuate has become increasingly important as many local moose populations in Scandinavia are declining and exposed to expanding predator populations, intense hunting pressure, and other threats associated with climate change.
Press Discourse on Cycling Before, During, and After the First Covid-19 Lockdown in France. The Rise of the User-Group Voice
Authors: Buhler Thomas , Adam Matthieu , Ramdani Hakim , Jobard Pauline
Published: November 2023

In this chapter we explore what a “crisis” event (here the first lockdown related to Covid-19 in France) means in terms of (i) the balance of power among actors expressing themselves in the daily press and of (ii) the main messages that the more prominent of these actors disseminate. In order to analyze changes in press discourse on city cycling in France, we examine a corpus that spans the period from September 2019 to September 2020, i.e., six months before the first lockdown (March 17, 2020) and five months after the end of the month-long lockdown (May 11, 2020). The discourse analysis has been conducted on 578 press articles from five regional newspapers (Rennes, Montpellier, Besançon, Paris, and Lyon) and one national press title (Libération). This entire corpus was analyzed using textometry, a computer-assisted method for analyzing quantitative textual data. This enables us to identify a discursive change. Two elements characterize that change: (i) the balance between actors who “talk” or who “are talked about” in the articles shifts gradually. During this period, cycling organizations appear to be the actors whose position is strengthened in the media discourse; (ii) these actors are strengthened in their traditional mission of lobbying for cycling, but with a focus on new issues (e.g., wearing a face-covering or not for cyclists, calling for the reopening of green public spaces to allow the transit of bicycles, etc.). The first Covid-19 wave appears to have been the accelerator of a wider process that has led cycling organizations to professionalize since the 2000s, to move away from ecologist, anarchist, and anticapitalist discourses and to promote instead the idea of everyday cycling as a tool for improving public health. The Covid-19 crisis has further established cycling organizations as reference actors for bicycle mobility in French cities.
Temporary Urbanism in Pandemic Times—Disruption and Continuity of Public Action in Montreal
Authors: Paulhiac Scherrer Florence
Published: November 2023

Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Montreal and its boroughs quickly deployed temporary facilities aimed at sharing public space and promoting active mobility (cycling and walking). This so-called strategy of “temporary urbanism” is common to North American cities from the spring of 2020. Several inventories of such measures demonstrate this. However, few of these databases open up the black box of the decision-making processes and levers that the actors have implemented to deploy this urbanism. Thus, the chapter is devoted to these processes, explaining the Montreal case in detail. It reveals the main characteristics of Montreal’s public action. As such, it highlights the local particularities of it, considered at the same time as agile, a source of numerous conflicts but also very adaptative. To conclude, we emphasize on two dimensions. First, the pandemic demonstrates that Montreal public actors had resources to respond to the crisis, rooted in action routines but also in a capacity for innovation. Secondly, that this incremental dimension of temporary urbanism is now considered by public actors as an opportunity to implement sustainable changes, in the longer term, through the deployment of a “transitory urbanism”.
Cycling in Bogotá During a Pandemic. The Influence of Tactical Urbanism and Perceived Insecurity on Bicycle Usage
Authors: Lucas Maëlle , Gouëset Vincent , Demoraes Florent
Published: November 2023

This chapter first analyses the impacts of the 2020 health crisis on bicycle policies, and second, the adaptations and reactions of the city’s bicycle users, in Bogotá. The capital of Colombia has been the first city in the world to create a network of pop-up bikeways to encourage citizens to avoid public transportation. These were inspired by tactical urbanism, which enabled its quick installation and adaptation. They were set up on main avenues, to serve low-income neighbourhoods, where remote working could not be implemented. This new policy has been used as a tool by Bogotá’s Mayor’s office to show its capacity to handle the health crisis and its commitment for more sustainable mobility. The chapter is based on a field investigation (interviews and mobile ethnography with daily cyclists), an online survey, interviews with mobility experts (academics, institutional agents, activists), and public data on urban mobility. It draws the chronological evolution of public policy, the cartography of its impact for bicycle use, and a detailed analysis of what is at stake. It also sheds light on the limits of tactical urbanism that was implemented during the health crisis.
The equation $$\pmb {f(xy) = f(x)h(y) + g(x)f(y)}$$ and representations on $$\pmb {\mathbb {C}^2}$$
Authors: Stetkær Henrik
Published: November 2023

Let G be a topological group, and let C(G) denote the algebra of continuous, complex valued functions on G. We find the solutions $$f,g,h \in C(G)$$

f
,
g
,
h
∈
C
(
G
)

of the Levi-Civita equation $$\begin{aligned} f(xy) = f(x)h(y) + g(x)f(y), \ x,y \in G, \end{aligned}$$

f
(
x
y
)
=
f
(
x
)
h
(
y
)
+
g
(
x
)
f
(
y
)
,

x
,
y
∈
G
,

which is an extension of the sine addition law. Representations of G on $$\mathbb {C}^2$$

C

2

play an important role. As a corollary we get the solutions $$f,g \in C(G)$$

f
,
g
∈
C
(
G
)

of the sine subtraction law $$f(xy^*) = f(x)g(y) - g(x)f(y)$$

f

(
x

y
∗

)

=
f

(
x
)

g

(
y
)

-
g

(
x
)

f

(
y
)

, $$x,y \in G$$

x
,
y
∈
G

, in which $$x \mapsto x^*$$

x
↦

x
∗

is a continuous involution, meaning that $$(xy)^* = y^*x^*$$

(
x
y
)

∗

=

y
∗

x
∗

and $$x^{**} = x$$

x

∗

∗

=
x

for all $$x,y \in G$$

x
,
y
∈
G

.
GTPBP8 is required for mitoribosomal biogenesis and mitochondrial translation
Authors: Wang Liang , Hilander Taru , Liu Xiaonan , Tsang Hoi Ying , Eriksson Ove , Jackson Christopher B. , Varjosalo Markku , Zhao Hongxia
Published: November 2023

Mitochondrial translation occurs on the mitochondrial ribosome, also known as the mitoribosome. The assembly of mitoribosomes is a highly coordinated process. During mitoribosome biogenesis, various assembly factors transiently associate with the nascent ribosome, facilitating the accurate and efficient construction of the mitoribosome. However, the specific factors involved in the assembly process, the precise mechanisms, and the cellular compartments involved in this vital process are not yet fully understood. In this study, we discovered a crucial role for GTP-binding protein 8 (GTPBP8) in the assembly of the mitoribosomal large subunit (mt-LSU) and mitochondrial translation. GTPBP8 is identified as a novel GTPase located in the matrix and peripherally bound to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Importantly, GTPBP8 is specifically associated with the mt-LSU during its assembly. Depletion of GTPBP8 leads to an abnormal accumulation of mt-LSU, indicating that GTPBP8 is critical for proper mt-LSU assembly. Furthermore, the absence of GTPBP8 results in reduced levels of fully assembled 55S monosomes. This impaired assembly leads to compromised mitochondrial translation and, consequently, impaired mitochondrial function. The identification of GTPBP8 as an important player in these processes provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondrial protein synthesis and its regulation.
The inertia and storage impact on the Mexican network frequency
Authors: Ramirez Juan M.
Published: November 2023

This paper aims to properly manage the frequency within the Mexican interconnected system (MIS), composed of 158 generators, 2022 buses, 3025 lines, and a system composed of seven control areas working together to satisfy an operating condition with a demand of 20 GW. An extension of the conventional load frequency control formulation is used to execute studies for assessing the frequency behaviour in the different control areas of the MIS under sudden load increments. Likewise, to estimate the impact that variations in inertia in the different control areas may have on frequency stability. Energy storage elements are proposed by observing frequency excursions, which can provide fast support and avoid frequency nadir values below 0.025 Hz. In addition, they help to restore the nominal frequency. An optimisation formulation quantifies the storage required for the different control areas. The results exhibit an improvement in the transient frequency behaviour. On the other hand, when acquiring the energy storage elements, it is also considered prudent to use them for the ancillary services’ benefit. With this purpose, a methodology is utilised to estimate the emission changes in the control regions based on the percentage reduction in displaced fossil fuel plants. Functions to determine the global emissions of different technologies for generating electricity were investigated hinged on actual historical data; through this, the diminution in polluting emissions is quantified.
Prospective affirmative therapeutics of cannabidiol oil mitigates doxorubicin-induced abnormalities in kidney function, inflammation, and renal tissue changes
Authors: Soliman Nabil A. , Dahmy Samih I. El , Shalaby Amr A. , Mohammed Khadija A.
Published: November 2023

Nephropathy is the decline in kidney function. A promising treatment for numerous types of illness is using natural materials as natural chemical compounds. The inquiry was conducted to investigate cannabidiol (CBD) potential for renal syndrome protection. The five equal groups of fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150 ± 25 g each were designed; group I received distilled water orally, while group II got an intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (18 mg/kg bwt). Group III received CBD (26 mg/kg bwt) orally, while group IV received 1 ml of CBD (26 mg/kg bwt) and group V received trimetazidine (10 mg/kg bwt), in addition to a single intraperitoneal dose of doxorubicin (18 mg/kg bwt) on the 11th day for both groups (IV, V). The administration of CBD (26 mg/kg bwt) led to a noticeable improvement in oxidative stress parameters (SOD and GSH) in rats by significantly lowering enzyme activity (ALT and AST), as well as serum creatinine and urea, IL-6, and MDA, confirming the anti-inflammatory accuracy of CBD linked to significant lowering to IL6R DNA frequency concentration in line with histopathology results. As a result of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities, cannabidiol may have protective quality, and CBD medication could be related to controlling renal problems.
Automated micro-solid-phase extraction clean-up and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of pesticides in foods extracted with ethyl acetate
Authors: Schürmann Andreas , Crüzer Claudio , Duss Veronika , Kämpf Robin , Preiswerk Thomi , Huebschmann Hans-Joachim
Published: November 2023

Generic extraction methods for the multi-compound pesticide analysis of food have found their solid place in laboratories. Ethyl acetate and acetonitrile extraction methods have been developed as fast and easy to handle standard multi-compound methods, both feature benefits and limitations. The direct injection to gas chromatography can be impaired by a high burden of coextracted matrix, resulting in deterioration of the chromatographic system and matrix effects, requiring frequent maintenance. Therefore, common clean-up methods, such as dispersive solid-phase extraction, freeze-out of fats, or gel permeation chromatography, have been applied in clean-up. Automated clean-up using micro-solid-phase extraction (µSPE) is a recent development with several demonstrated advantages when employed in the analysis of pesticides and other contaminants in foods extracted with acetonitrile, but it has not yet been evaluated in this application using ethyl acetate for extraction. In this study, an automated procedure using µSPE cartridges was developed and established on an x,y,z robotic sampler for the raw extract clean-up and preparation of diluted samples for injection on a GC-MS/MS system. Validation experiments for 212 pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lettuce, avocado, raspberry, paprika, egg, and liver extracts were performed using µSPE with MgSO4, PSA, C18, and CarbonX. The performance in routine operation is briefly discussed.

Graphical abstract
Targeting alternative splicing as a new cancer immunotherapy-phosphorylation of serine arginine-rich splicing factor (SRSF1) by SR protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) regulates alternative splicing of PD1 to generate a soluble antagonistic isoform that prevents T cell exhaustion
Authors: Wahid Mussarat , Pratoomthai Benjamart , Egbuniwe Isioma U. , Evans Hannah R. , Babaei-Jadidi Roya , Amartey Jason O. , Erdelyi Viola , Yacqub-Usman Kiren , Jackson Andrew M. , Morris Jonathan C. , Patel Poulam M. , Bates David O.
Published: November 2023

Background

Regulation of alternative splicing is a new therapeutic approach in cancer. The programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1) is an immunoinhibitory receptor expressed on immune cells that binds to its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2 expressed by cancer cells forming a dominant immune checkpoint pathway in the tumour microenvironment. Targeting this pathway using blocking antibodies (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) is the mainstay of anti-cancer immunotherapies, restoring the function of exhausted T cells. PD-1 is alternatively spliced to form isoforms that are either transmembrane signalling receptors (flPD1) that mediate T cell death by binding to the ligand, PD-L1 or an alternatively spliced, soluble, variant that lacks the transmembrane domain.

Methods

We used PCR and western blotting on primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and Jurkat T cells, IL-2 ELISA, flow cytometry, co-culture of melanoma and cholangiocarcinoma cells, and bioinformatics analysis and molecular cloning to examine the mechanism of splicing of PD1 and its consequence.

Results

The soluble form of PD-1, generated by skipping exon 3 (∆Ex3PD1), was endogenously expressed in PBMCs and T cells and prevents cancer cell-mediated T cell repression. Multiple binding sites of SRSF1 are adjacent to PD-1 exon 3 splicing sites. Overexpression of phosphomimic SRSF1 resulted in preferential expression of flPD1. Inhibition of SRSF1 phosphorylation both by SRPK1 shRNA knockdown and by a selective inhibitor, SPHINX31, resulted in a switch in splicing to ∆Ex3PD1. Cholangiocarcinoma cell-mediated repression of T cell IL-2 expression was reversed by SPHINX31 (equivalent to pembrolizumab).

Conclusions

These results indicate that switching of the splicing decision from flPD1 to ∆Ex3PD1 by targeting SRPK1 could represent a potential novel mechanism of immune checkpoint inhibition in cancer.
Geometric Blow-Up for Folded Limit Cycle Manifolds in Three Time-Scale Systems
Authors: Jelbart S. , Kuehn C. , Kuntz S.-V.
Published: November 2023

Geometric singular perturbation theory provides a powerful mathematical framework for the analysis of ‘stationary’ multiple time-scale systems which possess a critical manifold, i.e. a smooth manifold of steady states for the limiting fast subsystem, particularly when combined with a method of desingularisation known as blow-up. The theory for ‘oscillatory’ multiple time-scale systems which possess a limit cycle manifold instead of (or in addition to) a critical manifold is less developed, particularly in the non-normally hyperbolic regime. We use the blow-up method to analyse the global oscillatory transition near a regular folded limit cycle manifold in a class of three time-scale ‘semi-oscillatory’ systems with two small parameters. The systems considered behave like oscillatory systems as the smallest perturbation parameter tends to zero, and stationary systems as both perturbation parameters tend to zero. The additional time-scale structure is crucial for the applicability of the blow-up method, which cannot be applied directly to the two time-scale oscillatory counterpart of the problem. Our methods allow us to describe the asymptotics and strong contractivity of all solutions which traverse a neighbourhood of the global singularity. Our main results cover a range of different cases with respect to the relative time-scale of the angular dynamics and the parameter drift. We demonstrate the applicability of our results for systems with periodic forcing in the slow equation, in particular for a class of Liénard equations. Finally, we consider a toy model used to study tipping phenomena in climate systems with periodic forcing in the fast equation, which violates the conditions of our main results, in order to demonstrate the applicability of classical (two time-scale) theory for problems of this kind.
The new European Society of Cardiology guideline for the management of cardiomyopathies: key messages for cardiac electrophysiologists
Authors: Korthals Dennis , Eckardt Lars
Published: November 2023

Electrocardiographic findings and arrhythmias are common in cardiomyopathies. Both may be an early indication of a specific diagnosis or may occur due to myocardial fibrosis and/or reduced contractility. Brady- and tachyarrhythmias significantly contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiomyopathies. Antiarrhythmic therapy including risk stratification is often challenging and plays a major role for these patients. Thus, an “electrophysiological” perspective on guidelines on cardiomyopathies may be warranted. As the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has recently published a new guideline for the management of cardiomyopathies, this overview aims to present key messages of these guidelines. Innovations include a new phenotype-based classification system with emphasis on a multimodal imaging approach for diagnosis and risk stratification. The guideline includes detailed chapters on dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and their phenocopies, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy as well as syndromic and metabolic cardiomyopathies. Patient pathways guide clinicians from the initial presentation to diagnosis. The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and genetic testing during diagnostic work-up is stressed. Concepts of rhythm and rate control for atrial fibrillation have led to new recommendations, and the role of defibrillator therapy in primary prevention is discussed in detail. Whilst providing general guidelines for management, the primary objective of the guideline is to ascertain the disease etiology and disease-specific, individualized management.
Grounded L-Graphs Are Polynomially $$\chi $$-Bounded
Authors: Davies James , Krawczyk Tomasz , McCarty Rose , Walczak Bartosz
Published: November 2023

A grounded L-graph is the intersection graph of a collection of “L” shapes whose topmost points belong to a common horizontal line. We prove that every grounded L-graph with clique number $$\omega $$
ω
has chromatic number at most $$17\omega ^4$$

17

ω
4

. This improves the doubly-exponential bound of McGuinness and generalizes the recent result that the class of circle graphs is polynomially $$\chi $$
χ
-bounded. We also survey $$\chi $$
χ
-boundedness problems for grounded geometric intersection graphs and give a high-level overview of recent techniques to obtain polynomial bounds.
Incidence, severity, and temporal development of oral complications in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients – a multicenter study
Authors: Agholme Monica Barr , Dahllöf Göran , Törlén Johan Karlsson , Majorana Alessandra , Brennan Michael T. , von Bültzingslöwen Inger , Tan Poh Lin , Hu Shijia , Sim Yu Fan , Hong Catherine
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Oral mucositis is a common complication for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and causes pain and difficulties in functions like eating and swallowing, resulting in lower quality of life and greater need of treatment with opioids and parenteral nutrition. This prospective multicenter study focused on pediatric recipients of HSCT in the neutropenic phase concerning oral complications, timing, severity, and patient experience.

Methods

The cohort comprised 68 patients, median age 11.1 years (IQR 6.3) receiving allogeneic HSCT at three clinical sites. Medical records were retrieved for therapy regimens, concomitant medications, oral and dental history, and subjective oral complaints. Calibrated dentists conducted an oral and dental investigation before HSCT. After HSCT graft infusion, study personnel made bedside assessments and patients filled out a questionnaire once or twice a week until neutrophil engraftment.

Results

We followed 63 patients through the neutropenic phase until engraftment. 50% developed oral mucositis of grades 2–4. Peak severity occurred at 8–11 days after stem cell infusion. Altogether, 87% had subjective oral complaints. The temporal distribution of adverse events is similar to the development of oral mucositis. The most bothersome symptoms were blisters and oral ulcerations, including mucositis; 40% reported severe pain and major impact on activities of daily living despite continuous use of opioids.

Conclusion

This study highlights the burden of oral complications and their negative effect on the health and quality of life of HSCT recipients.
Eigenvalues of truncated unitary matrices: disk counting statistics
Authors: Ameur Yacin , Charlier Christophe , Moreillon Philippe
Published: November 2023

Let T be an $$n\times n$$

n
×
n

truncation of an $$(n+\alpha )\times (n+\alpha )$$

(
n
+
α
)
×
(
n
+
α
)

Haar distributed unitary matrix. We consider the disk counting statistics of the eigenvalues of T. We prove that as $$n\rightarrow + \infty $$

n
→
+
∞

with $$\alpha $$
α
fixed, the associated moment generating function enjoys asymptotics of the form $$\begin{aligned} \exp \big ( C_{1} n + C_{2} + o(1) \big ), \end{aligned}$$

exp

(

C
1

n
+

C
2

+
o

(
1
)

)

,

where the constants $$C_{1}$$

C
1

and $$C_{2}$$

C
2

are given in terms of the incomplete Gamma function. Our proof uses the uniform asymptotics of the incomplete Beta function.
The impact of intraoperative MRI on cranial surgical site infections—a single-center analysis
Authors: Joerger Ann-Kathrin , Laho Xhimi , Kehl Victoria , Meyer Bernhard , Krieg Sandro M. , Ille Sebastian
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The use of intraoperative MRI (ioMRI) contributes to an improved extent of resection. Hybrid operating room MRI suites have been established, with the patient being transferred to the MRI scanner. In the present descriptive analysis, we compared the rate of surgical site infections (SSI) after intracranial tumor surgery with and without the use of ioMRI.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we included 446 patients with open craniotomy performed for brain tumor surgery. One hundred fourteen patients were operated on with the use of ioMRI between June 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019 (group 1). During the same period, 126 patients were operated on without ioMRI (group 2). As an additional control group, we analyzed 206 patients operated on from February 1, 2017, to February 28, 2018 when ioMRI had not yet been implemented (group 3).

Results

The rate of SSI in group 1 (11.4%), group 2 (9.5%), and group 3 (6.8%) did not differ significantly (p = 0.352). Additional resection after ioMRI did not result in a significantly elevated number of SSI. No significant influence of re-resection, prior radio-/chemotherapy, blood loss or duration of surgery was found on the incidence of SSI.

Conclusion

Despite the transfer to a non-sterile MRI scanner, leading to a prolonged operation time, SSI rates with and without the use of ioMRI did not differ significantly. Hence, advantages of ioMRI outweigh potential disadvantages as confirmed by this real-life single-center study.
Genomic insights into the adaptation of Acinetobacter johnsonii RB2-047 to the heavy metal-contaminated subsurface mine environment
Authors: Timková Ivana , Maliničová Lenka , Nosáľová Lea , Kolesárová Mariana , Lorková Zuzana , Petrová Nikola , Pristaš Peter , Kisková Jana
Published: November 2023

The subsurface mine environments characterized by high levels of toxic metals and low nutrient availability represent an extreme threat to bacterial persistence. In recent study, the genomic analysis of the Acinetobacter johnsonii strain RB2-047 isolated from the Rozália Gold Mine in Slovakia was performed. As expected, the studied isolate showed a high level of heavy metal tolerance (minimum inhibitory concentrations were 500 mg/L for copper and nickel, 1,500 mg/L for lead, and 250 mg/L for zinc). The RB2-047 strain also showed noticeable resistance to several antibiotics (ampicillin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin). The genomic composition analysis demonstrated a low number of antibiotic and metal resistance coding genes, but a high occurrence of efflux transporter genes located on the bacterial chromosome. The experimental inhibition of efflux pumps resulted in decreased tolerance to Zn and Ni (but not to Cu and Pb) and to all antibiotics tested. In addition, the H33342 dye-accumulation assay confirmed the high efflux activity in the RB2-047 isolate. These findings showed the important role of efflux pumps in the adaptation of Acinetobacter johsonii strain RB2-047 to metal polluted mine environment as well as in development of multi-antibiotic resistance.
Automatic genre identification: a survey
Authors: Kuzman Taja , Ljubešić Nikola
Published: November 2023

Automatic genre identification (AGI) is a text classification task focused on genres, i.e., text categories defined by the author’s purpose, common function of the text, and the text’s conventional form. Obtaining genre information has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of disciplines, including linguistics, corpus linguistics, computational linguistics, natural language processing, information retrieval and information security. Consequently, in the past 20 years, numerous researchers have collected genre datasets with the aim to develop an efficient genre classifier. However, their approaches to the definition of genre schemata, data collection and manual annotation vary substantially, resulting in significantly different datasets. As most AGI experiments are dataset-dependent, a sufficient understanding of the differences between the available genre datasets is of great importance for the researchers venturing into this area. In this paper, we present a detailed overview of different approaches to each of the steps of the AGI task, from the definition of the genre concept and the genre schema, to the dataset collection and annotation methods, and, finally, to machine learning strategies. Special focus is dedicated to the description of the most relevant genre schemata and datasets, and details on the availability of all of the datasets are provided. In addition, the paper presents the recent advances in machine learning approaches to automatic genre identification, and concludes with proposing the directions towards developing a stable multilingual genre classifier.
Global warming vs. climate change frames: revisiting framing effects based on new experimental evidence collected in 30 European countries
Authors: Stefkovics Ádám , Zenovitz Lili
Published: November 2023

Existing evidence suggests that climate change beliefs can be subject to how the issue is framed. Particularly, the choice between a “global warming” versus a “climate change” framing influenced survey responses in some previous experiments. Furthermore, since the issue of climate change has become strongly polarized politically, framing effects were found to be moderated by political identification. Nevertheless, most of these framing effects were observed in the USA and may not be generalized in other cultures. To contribute to this area of research, we embedded an experiment in nationally representative telephone surveys conducted in 30 European countries in August–September 2021. We manipulated the wording of four climate change-related questions (“global warming” vs. “climate change”) and assessed treatment effects both in the full sample and separately among leftist, rightist, green, and right-wing party voters. Our results regarding climate change existence belief replicated earlier findings since existence belief was significantly higher in the climate change group. We also found that the perceived negative impact was slightly lower when the issue was framed as “climate change.” In contrast, little evidence was found of people being more skeptical or less worried when asked about “global warming” compared to “climate change.” In general, skepticism was higher on the political right; however, leftists, rightists, green, and right-wing voters reacted similarly to the two frames in our European sample. We consider possible explanations for the null findings and argue that the use of “climate change” framing in communication strategies promoting climate action itself will do little to lower skepticism in Europe.
Analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in wastewater treatment plants: key steps and environmental risk considerations
Authors: Cavazzoli Simone , Ferrentino Roberta , Scopetani Costanza , Monperrus Mathilde , Andreottola Gianni
Published: November 2023

The analysis of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the environment is a critical objective due to their ubiquitous presence in natural habitats, as well as their occurrence in various food, beverage, and organism matrices. MNPs pose significant concerns due to their direct toxicological effects and their potential to serve as carriers for hazardous organic/inorganic contaminants and pathogens, thereby posing risks to both human health and ecosystem integrity. Understanding the fate of MNPs within wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) holds paramount importance, as these facilities can be significant sources of MNP emissions. Additionally, during wastewater purification processes, MNPs can accumulate contaminants and pathogens, potentially transferring them into receiving water bodies. Hence, establishing a robust analytical framework encompassing sampling, extraction, and instrumental analysis is indispensable for monitoring MNP pollution and assessing associated risks. This comprehensive review critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of commonly employed methods for studying MNPs in wastewater, sludge, and analogous environmental samples. Furthermore, this paper proposes potential solutions to address identified methodological shortcomings. Lastly, a dedicated section investigates the association of plastic particles with chemicals and pathogens, alongside the analytical techniques employed to study such interactions. The insights generated from this work can be valuable reference material for both the scientific research community and environmental monitoring and management authorities.

Graphical Abstract
Frankenstein: fast and lightweight call graph generation for software builds
Authors: Keshani Mehdi , Gousios Georgios , Proksch Sebastian
Published: November 2023

Call Graphs are a rich data source and form the foundation for advanced static analyses that can, for example, detect security vulnerabilities or dead code. This information is invaluable when it is immediately available, such as in the output of a build system. Call Graph generation is a whole-program analysis: not just the application, but also all its dependencies are processed together. Recent work has shown that even advanced static analyses can use summarization techniques to substantially improve runtime; however, existing analyses focus on soundness, and as such remain very expensive. When executed in the build system, which typically has limited resources, even powerful servers suffer from slow build times, rendering these analyses impractical in today’s fast-paced development. In this paper, we aim to strike a balance between improving static analyses while remaining practical for use cases that require quick results in low-resource environments. We propose a summarization-based implementation of a Class-Hierarchy Analysis algorithm for call graph generation of Java programs. Our approach leverages the fact that dependency sets often do not change between builds: we can generate call graphs for these dependencies, cache their generation for subsequent builds, and using a novel stitching algorithm, Frankenstein, merge all partial results into a complete call graph for the whole program. Our evaluation results show that this lightweight approach can substantially outperform existing frameworks. In terms of speed improvements, Frankenstein surpasses the baselines by up to 38%, requiring an average of just 388 Megabytes of memory. This makes the proposed approach practical for build systems with limited memory resources. Despite these optimizations, our generated call graphs maintain a near-identical set of edges when compared to the baselines, achieving an F$$_{1}$$

1

score of up to 0.98. This summarization-based approach for call graph generation paves the way for using extended static analyses in build processes.
Evolution of Humanity
Authors: DeTroy Sarah E. , Hirata Satoshi , Nakamura Michio , Haun Daniel B. M. , van Leeuwen Edwin J. C.
Published: November 2023

In 1952, Kinji Imanishi wrote a thought-provoking essay on the nature of animal societies. In this essay, he applied the concept of human culture (which he referred to as Karuchua) to nonhuman animals by giving different taxa a voice in a fable-like conversation, thereby aptly transcending speciesism. While thoroughly inspiring for scholars who have mastered the Japanese language, the essay was only known to non-Japanese-speakers by its English abstract. Here, we unveil the rest of the essay for the English-speaking community. Furthermore, to contextualize the seminal text, we asked contemporary scholars working in the field of (animal) culture to comment on the essay in a conversational manner akin to the structure of the essay itself. To guide this conversation, we asked the scholars to answer the questions: “What was your first impression of the essay, and how has your own work been influenced, either directly or indirectly, by Dr Imanishi’s work?” and “In what way has Dr Imanishi’s concept of Karuchua been encompassed by Western approaches?” What ensued now lies before you. We feel privileged to present to you the first English translation of the original Japanese essay by Kinji Imanishi that has already inspired so many scholars and nonscholars alike in their quest for understanding the nature of social life.
Group Contribution Method for the Residual Entropy Scaling Model for Viscosities of Branched Alkanes
Authors: Mickoleit Erik , Jäger Andreas , Grau Turuelo Constantino , Thol Monika , Bell Ian H. , Breitkopf Cornelia
Published: November 2023

In this work it is shown how the entropy scaling paradigm introduced by Rosenfeld (Phys Rev A 15:2545–2549, 1977, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.15.2545) can be extended to calculate the viscosities of branched alkanes by group contribution methods (GCM), making the technique more predictive. Two equations of state (EoS) requiring only a few adjustable parameters (Lee–Kesler–Plöcker and PC-SAFT) were used to calculate the thermodynamic properties of linear and branched alkanes. These EOS models were combined with first-order and second-order group contribution methods to obtain the fluid-specific scaling factor allowing the scaled viscosity values to be mapped onto the generalized correlation developed by Yang et al. (J Chem Eng Data 66:1385–1398, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jced.0c01009) The second-order scheme offers a more accurate estimation of the fluid-specific scaling factor, and overall the method yields an AARD of 10 % versus 8.8 % when the fluid-specific scaling factor is fit directly to the experimental data. More accurate results are obtained when using the PC-SAFT EoS, and the GCM generally out-performs other estimation schemes proposed in the literature for the fluid-specific scaling factor.
VGR Dataset: A CFD-based Gas Dispersion Dataset for Mobile Robotic Olfaction
Authors: Ojeda Pepe , Monroy Javier , Gonzalez-Jimenez Javier
Published: November 2023

There are many potential applications for an autonomous robotic agent capable of sensing gases in the environment, from locating leaks in pipes to monitoring air quality. However, the current state of the art in the field of robotic olfaction is not mature enough for most real-world applications. Due to the complexity of gas dispersion phenomena and the limitations of sensors, a great deal of research into the development of techniques and algorithms remains necessary. A very important part of this research is thorough experimentation, but carrying out robotic olfaction experiments is far from trivial. Real world experiments are usually limited to very simplified, wind-tunnel-like environments, as it is impossible to closely monitor or control the airflow in more complex scenarios. For this reason, simulation with CFD offers the most plausible alternative, allowing researchers to study the behavior of their algorithms in more challenging and complex situations. This work presents a CFD-based gas dispersion dataset composed of 120 cases generated under variable environmental conditions, taking place in 30 realistic and detailed models of real houses. All the data is made available in multiple formats, and is directly accessible through ROS, to permit easy integration with other robotic tools.
Building person-centred homes: a case study of a cluster-designed home for adults with intellectual disability in Australia
Authors: Bailey Susan M. , Christensen Pernille , Sankaran Shankar , Millington Michael
Published: November 2023

A case study of 20 families investigated a cluster design of new homes for 15 adults with intellectual disabilities in Australia. It explored how families created a cluster home model for adults to live in their own homes with paid support in a modern context by answering three research questions: What type of home did parents choose for their children with intellectual disabilities and why? What type of home did they achieve? How did they overcome challenges to accomplish building the home? Families adopted a participatory design approach, collaborating as learning partners to secure government funding for purchasing land and constructing their cluster design. However, it was a complex project requiring many stakeholders with conflicting interests and priorities. Specifically, families rejected the group home model preferred by government agency staff, shifted the focus from technical building rules and design standards to prioritise each adult’s needs and preferences for their home, rejected institution-like fixtures/fittings when installed and used family governance to choose key support workers directly. Ultimately, the families created security of place through tenancy in attractive homes with government funding, welcoming neighbours and chosen support workers.
Percolation and the Phase Slip in Granular SmFeAsO1-xFx Thin Films
Authors: Aguilar-Mendoza K. , Martinez-Tena K. , Conde-Gallardo A.
Published: November 2023

A set of granular SmFeAsO1-xFx films were synthesized on LaAlO3 substrates with different percentage of the coverage of the substrate surface, and then their electrical properties were studied. At high temperatures, as the substrate coverage is increased, the films go from an insulating to a metallic behavior; and then, at low temperatures, the films that present a resistance RN of few kOhms in the normal state show a transition to the superconducting state with a width in the R(T) curves that changes with the coverage of the substrate surface. The line shape of these curves can be explained by the Ambegaokar-Halperin (AH) model of the resistance produced by the thermal activated phase slippage at the intergranular junctions if the dimensionality for the films is presumed appropriately. For the thicker films, that can be considered as a 3D network of the Josephson junctions, a temperature dependence of the AH parameter $$\gamma$$
γ
given by $$\sim$$
∼
A(1 − t)3/2, fits the R(T) curve satisfactorily. However, for the films that cover the surface of the substrates only partially, the AH model fits the R(T) curves only if $$\gamma$$
γ
 ~ A´(1 − t2)2, which is suitable for a 2D network of the Josephson junctions.
The effect of propulsion system design on the response of the novel yoke–bell–clapper system with a proportional–integral controller
Authors: Burzyński T. , Perlikowski P. , Balcerzak M. , Brzeski P.
Published: November 2023

This article focuses on the influence of the propulsion mechanism design on the transient and steady-state response of the yoke–bell–clapper system with a proportional–integral controller. The analysis is made using the mathematical model validated in our previous paper. Three different propulsion system designs are considered. Analyzed cases are compared and assessed, taking into account the launching time of the system, additional loads in the supports, and final steady-state response. The subject of the analysis contributes to the topic devoted to the dynamic interaction between the bells and their supporting structures that is recently widely considered by the scientific community.