bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Cross-Country Comparison
Authors: Reineke Rolf-Dieter , Gottschall Oliver
Published: July 2024

Globally, the focus on ESG (environment, social, and governance) related issues has increased significantly in recent years. According to recent research by McKinsey & Company, more than 90% of S&P 500 companies now publish ESG reports, while inflows into sustainable funds rose 14-fold in 2021 to reach USD 70 billion, compared to just USD 5 billion 3 years earlier (Perez et al. 2022).

Asia is no exception, with a growing number of Asian countries committed to setting emission-reduction targets and companies racing to capture a USD 5 trillion opportunity in green business building (Balasubramanian et al. 2022).
The Political, Economic, and Social Drivers of Responsible Sourcing Standards
Authors: Farooki Masuma , Graf Alexander , Endl Andreas , Degreif Stefanie
Published: July 2024

This chapter explores the societal drivers pushing for more responsible sourcing practices and behaviours and the pathways that were adopted to advocate for these changes. Underlying concepts promoting better governance, fair share of value, and securing and protecting the rights of vulnerable stakeholders resulted in several standards and tools to improve and monitor corporate performance. From sustainability guidelines to certification schemes and eventually legislation, this chapter drills down to the common denominator within these approaches and how they drive more responsible sourcing practices. These approaches included building awareness and increasing transparency around the environmental, social, governance, and economic impacts of operations. Civil society organisations and leading private and public sector actors, through advocacy and collaboration, influenced powerful actors within supply chains to enact change. Advocates provided recommendations for what responsible behaviours and objectives should be undertaken. Others constructed assurance mechanisms to evidence that change has taken place.
On reversible DNA codes over the ring $${\mathbb {Z}}_4[u,v]/\langle u^2-2,uv-2,v^2,2u,2v\rangle$$ based on the deletion distance
Authors: Dinh Hai Q. , Ashraf Mohammad , Rehman Washiqur , Mohammad Ghulam , Asim Mohd
Published: July 2024

Let$${\mathfrak {R}}= {\mathbb {Z}}_4[u,v]/\langle u^2-2,uv-2,v^2,2u,2v\rangle$$R=Z4[u,v]/⟨u2-2,uv-2,v2,2u,2v⟩be a ring, where$${\mathbb {Z}}_{4}$$Z4is a ring of integers modulo 4. This ring$${\mathfrak {R}}$$Ris a local non-chain ring of characteristic 4. The main objective of this article is to construct reversible cyclic codes of odd lengthnover the ring$${\mathfrak {R}}.$$R.Employing these reversible cyclic codes, we obtain reversible cyclic DNA codes of lengthn,  based on the deletion distance over the ring$${\mathfrak {R}}.$$R.We also construct a bijection$$\Gamma$$Γbetween the elements of the ring$${\mathfrak {R}}$$Rand$$S_{D_{16}}.$$SD16.As an application of$$\Gamma ,$$Γ,the reversibility problem which occurs in DNAk-bases has been solved. Moreover, we introduce a Gray map$$\Psi _{\hom }:{\mathfrak {R}}^{n}\rightarrow {\mathbb {F}}_{2}^{8n}$$Ψhom:Rn→F28nwith respect to homogeneous weight$$w_{\hom }$$whomover the ring$${\mathfrak {R}}$$R. Further, we discuss theGC-content of DNA cyclic codes and their deletion distance. Moreover, we provide some examples of reversible DNA cyclic codes.
Autocleandeepfood: auto-cleaning and data balancing transfer learning for regional gastronomy food computing
Authors: Gilal Nauman Ullah , Qaraqe Marwa , Schneider Jens , Agus Marco
Published: July 2024

Food computing has emerged as a promising research field, employing artificial intelligence, deep learning, and data science methodologies to enhance various stages of food production pipelines. To this end, the food computing community has compiled a variety of data sets and developed various deep-learning architectures to perform automatic classification. However, automated food classification presents a significant challenge, particularly when it comes to local and regional cuisines, which are often underrepresented in available public-domain data sets. Nevertheless, obtaining high-quality, well-labeled, and well-balanced real-world labeled images is challenging since manual data curation requires significant human effort and is time-consuming. In contrast, the web has a potentially unlimited source of food data but tapping into this resource has a good chance of corrupted and wrongly labeled images. In addition, the uneven distribution among food categories may lead to data imbalance problems. All these issues make it challenging to create clean data sets for food from web data. To address this issue, we present AutoCleanDeepFood, a novel end-to-end food computing framework for regional gastronomy that contains the following components: (i) a fully automated pre-processing pipeline for custom data sets creation related to specific regional gastronomy, (ii) a transfer learning-based training paradigm to filter out noisy labels through loss ranking, incorporating a Russian Roulette probabilistic approach to mitigate data imbalance problems, and (iii) a method for deploying the resulting model on smartphones for real-time inferences. We assess the performance of our framework on a real-world noisy public domain data set, ETH Food-101, and two novel web-collected datasets, MENA-150 and Pizza-Styles. We demonstrate the filtering capabilities of our proposed method through embedding visualization of the feature space using the t-SNE dimension reduction scheme. Our filtering scheme is efficient and effectively improves accuracy in all cases, boosting performance by 0.96, 0.71, and 1.29% on MENA-150, ETH Food-101, and Pizza-Styles, respectively.
Efficacy of injection of autologous adipose tissue in the treatment of patients with complex and recurrent fistula-in-ano of cryptoglandular origin
Authors: Guillaumes S. , Hidalgo N. J. , Bachero I. , Pena R. , Nogueira S. T. , Ardid J. , Pera M.
Published: July 2024

Background

Adipose tissue injections, a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells, have been successfully used to promote anal fistula healing. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of adipose tissue injection in treating patients with complex and recurrent fistulas of cryptoglandular origin.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, single-center, open-label, non-randomized, interventional clinical trial from January 2020 to December 2022. We enrolled nine patients, who were evaluated after at least 12 months of follow-up. All patients had seton removal, fistula tract excision or curettage, and a mucosal flap if possible or, alternatively, an internal opening suture. We used a commercially available system to collect and process adipose tissue prior to injection. This system allowed the collection, microfragmentation, and filtration of tissue.

Results

Selected cases included six men and three women with a median age of 42 (range 31–55) years. All patients had an extended disease course period, ranging from 3 to 13 (mean 6.6) years, and a history of multiple previous surgeries, including two to eight interventions (a mean of 4.4 per case). All fistulas were high transsphincteric, four cases horseshoe and two cases with secondary suprasphincteric or peri-elevator tract fistulas. Six cases (66%) achieved complete fistula healing at a mean follow-up of 18 (range 12–36) months. Three cases (33.3%) experienced reduced secretion and decreased anal discomfort.

Conclusions

In patients with complex and recurrent fistulas, such as the ones described, many from palliative treatments with setons, the adjuvant injection of adipose tissue might help achieve complete healing or improvement in a significant percentage of cases.

ClinicalTrials

The study protocol was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 04750499).
The EQ-5D-3L valuation study for Bermuda: using an on-line EQ-VT protocol
Authors: Bailey Henry , Roudijk Bram , Brathwaite Ricky
Published: July 2024

Background

In many countries, methods of economic evaluation and Health Technology Assessment are used to inform healthcare resource allocation decisions. These approaches often require EQ-5D health outcomes measures. This study aimed to create an EQ-5D-3L value set for Bermuda from which EQ-5D-5L Crosswalk values could be obtained.

Methods

Respondents in Bermuda were recruited locally. A team of Trinidad-based interviewers with prior EQ-5D-3L valuation experience conducted valuation interviews on-line using the EQ-VT protocol. Respondents completed composite time-trade off (cTTO) and discrete choice experiment (DCE) tasks. A hybrid model that included both the cTTO and DCE data was estimated. An EQ-5D-5L crosswalk value set was then created from the EQ-5D-3L index values. Coefficients in the resulting crosswalk model were compared with those of crosswalk and valuation studies from other countries.

Results

The valuation tasks were completed by a near-representative sample of 366 adult Bermuda citizens. Half of the respondents reported being in state 11111. The lowest EQ VAS and EQ-5D-3L index values were 20 and – 0.120 respectively. The hybrid model produced all logically consistent and statistically significant coefficients that in turn produced index values that were very similar to those obtained in a preliminary model (MAD of 0.027).

Discussion

The on-line EQ-VT valuation study was successfully conducted in Bermuda and the values therein can now be used for economic analysis in Bermuda. The Bermuda values differed considerably from those of the other countries against which they were compared. Challenges were encountered with recruitment for an on-line survey in a small population.
Resistance to FOXM1 inhibitors in breast cancer is accompanied by impeding ferroptosis and apoptotic cell death
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Ziegler Yvonne , Plotner Blake N. , Flatt Kristen M. , Kim Sung Hoon , Katzenellenbogen John A. , Katzenellenbogen Benita S.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Cancer treatments often become ineffective because of acquired drug resistance. To characterize changes in breast cancer cells accompanying development of resistance to inhibitors of the oncogenic transcription factor, FOXM1, we investigated the suppression of cell death pathways, especially ferroptosis, in FOXM1 inhibitor-resistant cells. We also explored whether ferroptosis activators can synergize with FOXM1 inhibitors and can overcome FOXM1 inhibitor resistance.

Methods

In estrogen receptor-positive and triple-negative breast cancer cells treated with FOXM1 inhibitor NB73 and ferroptosis activators dihydroartemisinin and JKE1674, alone and in combination, we measured suppression of cell viability, motility, and colony formation, and monitored changes in gene and protein pathway expressions and mitochondrial integrity.

Results

Growth suppression of breast cancer cells by FOXM1 inhibitors is accompanied by increased cell death and alterations in mitochondrial morphology and metabolic activity. Low doses of FOXM1 inhibitor strongly synergize with ferroptosis inducers to reduce cell viability, migration, colony formation, and expression of proliferation-related genes, and increase intracellular Fe+2 and lipid peroxidation, markers of ferroptosis. Acquired resistance to FOXM1 inhibition is associated with increased expression of cancer stem-cell markers and proteins that repress ferroptosis, enabling cell survival and drug resistance. Notably, resistant cells are still sensitive to growth suppression by low doses of ferroptosis activators, effectively overcoming the acquired resistance.

Conclusion

Delineating changes in viability and cell death pathways that can overcome drug resistance should be helpful in determining approaches that might best prevent or reverse resistance to therapeutic targeting of FOXM1 and ultimately improve patient clinical outcomes.
Functional and clinical roles of stromal PDGF receptors in tumor biology
Authors: Strell Carina , Rodríguez-Tomàs Elisabet , Östman Arne
Published: July 2024

PDGF receptors play pivotal roles in both developmental and physiological processes through the regulation of mesenchymal cells involved in paracrine instructive interactions with epithelial or endothelial cells. Tumor biology studies, alongside analyses of patient tissue samples, provide strong indications that the PDGF signaling pathways are also critical in various types of human cancer. This review summarizes experimental findings and correlative studies, which have explored the biological mechanisms and clinical relevance of PDGFRs in mesenchymal cells of the tumor microenvironment. Collectively, these studies support the overall concept that the PDGF system is a critical regulator of tumor growth, metastasis, and drug efficacy, suggesting yet unexploited targeting opportunities. The inter-patient variability in stromal PDGFR expression, as being linked to prognosis and treatment responses, not only indicates the need for stratified approaches in upcoming therapeutic investigations but also implies the potential for the development of PDGFRs as biomarkers of clinical utility, interestingly also in settings outside PDGFR-directed treatments.
Effect of acetylation on wood-water interactions studied by sorption calorimetry
Authors: Digaitis Ramūnas , Wadsö Lars , Fredriksson Maria , Thybring Emil E.
Published: July 2024

Sorption of water has a profound effect on the material properties of wood. The uptake of water vapour in wood and other materials releases more heat than the condensation of vapour to liquid water. This excess energy provides insights to the interactions and energy state of the absorbed water molecules. Modification of wood by acetylation is a common way of altering the wood-water interactions; however, very few data exist on how this and other types of modification affect the energy state of absorbed water in wood. This study is the first to use sorption calorimetry on modified wood to explore the effect of acetylation on wood-water interactions. Acetylation decreased the strength of the interactions between wood and water as seen from a decrease in differential enthalpy of mixing, both overall and in the dry state. It appears that acetylation removes or hinders the most-energetic interactions or bonding configurations of water in wood, perhaps because acetylation reduces the number of water-accessible hydroxyls more than it reduces the amount of absorbed water molecules.
Radiological characterization of the tailings of an abandoned copper mine using a neural network and geostatistical analysis through the Co-Kriging method
Authors: Expósito-Suárez V. M. , Suárez-Navarro J. A. , Caro A. , Sanz M. B. , Hernaiz G. , González-Sanabria A. , Suárez-Navarro M. J. , Jordá-Bordehore L. , Chamorro-Villanueva H. , Arlandi M. , Benavente J. F.
Published: July 2024

The radiological characterization of soil contaminated with natural radionuclides enables the classification of the area under investigation, the optimization of laboratory measurements, and informed decision-making on potential site remediation. Neural networks (NN) are emerging as a new candidate for performing these tasks as an alternative to conventional geostatistical tools such as Co-Kriging. This study demonstrates the implementation of a NN for estimating radiological values such as ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)), surface activity and activity concentrations of natural radionuclides present in a waste dump of a Cu mine with a high level of natural radionuclides. The results obtained using a NN were compared with those estimated by Co-Kriging. Both models reproduced field measurements equivalently as a function of spatial coordinates. Similarly, the deviations from the reference concentration values obtained in the output layer of the NN were smaller than the deviations obtained from the multiple regression analysis (MRA), as indicated by the results of the root mean square error. Finally, the method validation showed that the estimation of radiological parameters based on their spatial coordinates faithfully reproduced the affected area. The estimation of the activity concentrations was less accurate for both the NN and MRA; however, both methods gave statistically comparable results for activity concentrations obtained by gamma spectrometry (Student's t-test and Fisher's F-test).
Traditional ecological knowledge for monitoring Anaphalis javanica (DC.) Sch.Bip. (Asteraceae) in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Indonesia
Authors: Susanto Denni , Nugroho Prasetyo , Numata Shinya
Published: July 2024

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) possessed by indigenous communities offers a vital source of information regarding the status and threats faced by species. Anaphalis javanica (DC.) Sch.Bip. commonly known as Javanese edelweiss is a culturally significant species in Indonesia’s mountainous regions, yet conservation efforts for it remain limited. We utilized TEK to assess the status and threats to the Javanese edelweiss in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Indonesia. The research aims to assess the distribution, abundance, population trends, and threats faced by Javanese edelweiss using TEK. We interviewed 641 individuals from seven Tengger villages near the park to gather data on the distribution, status, and threats facing the Javanese edelweiss, contributing to conservation efforts. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models and ordinal logistic regression. TEK regarding the Javanese edelweiss was extensive, as 96.3% of respondents recognized the plant. A majority (73.2%) had observed Javanese edelweiss in the wild, yet a significant portion (85%) perceived it as “very rare” or “rare.” Furthermore, 50% of respondents reported a decline in its population. Variations in sighting frequency, perceived abundance, and population trends across different locations provide crucial insights for identifying priority areas and shaping community-based conservation strategies for Javanese edelweiss. This research underscores the importance of integrating TEK into conservation planning, emphasizing community involvement for effective and sustainable biodiversity conservation.
Blame and Proportionality
Authors: Johansson Werkmäster Marta , Werkmäster Jakob
Published: July 2024

The ethics of blame includes conditions determining whether an instance of blame is permissible. One generally recognised condition is that blame should be proportionate. If it is not proportionate, that speaks against its permissibility. All the same, what exactly amounts to proportionate blame is currently under-theorised. In this paper, we aim to amend this. More precisely, we distinguish between private and overt blame and highlight some of their differences – e.g., that they aggregate differently. Then, we develop an account of proportional blame and draw out some practical implications of our account.
Persistence or decay of strategic asymmetric dominance in repeated dyadic games?
Authors: Colman Andrew M. , Pulford Briony D. , Crombie Alexander
Published: July 2024

In a dyadic game, strategic asymmetric dominance occurs when a player’s preference for one strategy A relative to another B is systematically increased by the addition of a third strategy Z, strictly dominated by A but not by B. There are theoretical and empirical grounds for believing that this effect should decline over repetitions, and other grounds for believing, on the contrary, that it should persist. To investigate this question experimentally, 30 participant pairs played 50 rounds of one symmetric and two asymmetric 3 × 3 games each having one strategy strictly dominated by one other, and a control group played 2 × 2 versions of the same games with dominated strategies removed. The strategic asymmetric dominance effect was observed in the repeated-choice data: dominant strategies in the 3 × 3 versions were chosen more frequently than the corresponding strategies in the 2 × 2 versions. Time series analysis revealed a significant decline in the effect over repetitions in the symmetric game only. Supplementary verbal protocol analysis helped to clarify the players’ reasoning and to explain the results.
Transcriptomic profiling of dynamic alternative splicing during the early response to Ralstonia solanacearum infection in tobacco roots
Authors: Wu Xiuming , Geng Ruimei , Liu Zhengwen , Cheng Lirui , Jiang Caihong , Liu Dan , Yang Aiguo , Tong Ying , Chen Shuai , Sun Yangyang , Xiao Zhiliang , Ren Min
Published: July 2024

The pathogenic bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum, causes bacterial wilt disease in many crops, which leads to significant yield losses worldwide. Although genes associated with resistance to this pathogen have been isolated and characterized in crops, the molecular mechanisms underlying the plant–pathogen interactions remain to be elucidated. Here, we performed a comparative transcriptional profiling analysis of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cultivars C048 (susceptible) and C244 (resistant) in response to R. solanacearum infection. We found that the number of down- and up-regulated genes increased dramatically 3 h post inoculation (hpi), peaked 24 hpi, and then decreased 48 and 72 hpi, representing a “transcriptomic shock”. Of these genes, those associated with biotic and abiotic stresses and secondary metabolism were up-regulated, whereas those associated with primary metabolism were down-regulated. Alternative splicing (AS) modulates root defense against R. solanacearum by fine-tuning gene expression during the transcriptomic responses to pathogen invasion. The numbers of skipped exon (SE) and mutually exclusive exon (MXE) type AS events were reduced by approximately 60–80% in roots 9–72 hpi compared to those occurring 0–3 hpi. On the contrary, the number of differential alternative splicing (DAS) events showing a change in isoform ratio between samples increased, and most of them were associated with the down-regulation of corresponding gene expression. In addition, genes encoding transcription factors and leucine-rich repeat domain proteins that showed changes in both expression level and AS profile during pathogen infection were identified. Our study offers novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of the tobacco response to R. solanacearum infection and will benefit the molecular breeding of pathogen-resistant tobacco in the future.
A review on nanocomposite coatings in dentistry
Authors: Aktas O. Cenk , Puchert Kathrin , Vurucu Ekrem Efekan , Ersöz Bilge , Veziroglu Salih , Sen Sinan
Published: July 2024

Nanocomposite coatings have garnered significant attention for their potential applications in various fields, including dentistry. These coatings consist of a base matrix, typically a polymer, ceramic, or metal, embedded with nanoparticles that confer enhanced properties do not present in the bulk material. By incorporating nanoparticles into a suitable matrix, these coatings exhibit superior properties including bioactivity, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, antibacterial activity, and drug release capabilities. This review specifically covers the application of nanocomposites as (1) bioactive/osteoconductive coatings, (2) antibacterial/antimicrobial nanocomposite coatings, (3) tribological/corrosion protection nanocomposite coatings, and (4) drug delivery nanocomposite coatings.
Evaluation of the shielding effectiveness of electrodeposited Zn–Ni, Zn–Co, Ni–Co, and Zn–Ni–Co alloy coatings
Authors: Ölçen Karun Kaan , Dikici Tuncay
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates the effect of different alloy coatings (Zinc–Nickel (Zn–Ni), Zinc–Cobalt (Zn–Co), Nickel–Cobalt (Ni–Co), and Zinc–Nickel–Cobalt (Zn–Ni–Co)) on surface properties and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness. These alloy coatings are electroplated on the surface of copper material in a sulfate bath using a power supply. The coating composition, morphology, and phase structures of the alloy coatings are examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD); absorption and electromagnetic shielding values in the X-band frequency range are investigated by Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) using coaxial holder method. According to the results of the surface morphology of the alloy coatings, the expected surface structures are generally formed. XRD results also reveal phases that differ according to alloy type. As a result of this study, it is determined that the best electromagnetic shielding efficiency is found in Zn–Ni–Co alloy coating whereas Ni–Co alloy coating has the best absorbance value. Based on these results, such binary and ternary metal alloy coatings can be considered as a decent alternative to increase shielding efficiency for materials such as copper, which already have good conductivity and a certain level of shielding.
“A Blessing and a Curse”: The Impact of Sociopolitical Events and National Discourse Surrounding Sexual Violence on College Campuses
Authors: Davidov Danielle M. , DeFazio Caterina , Williford Desireé N. , Clear Emily R. , Bush Heather M. , Coker Ann L.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Examining the influence of policy change and socio-political factors is paramount for contextualizing and addressing sexual violence. The purpose of this paper is to provide findings from a secondary qualitative analysis of the impacts of national and local high-profile events on the dialogue and actions surrounding violence prevention and response on college campuses.

Methods

Data from mcBEE, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded project exploring the adoption and implementation of violence prevention programming on multiple college campuses in the United States were used for this analysis. Data include responses from 60-min telephone interviews with key informants (i.e., campus personnel in administrative roles or connected to violence prevention programming efforts) between 2017 and 2019.

Results

Interviews (n = 68) revealed that high-profile events (i.e., Title IX legislation, news coverage of sexual assault cases, and the #MeToo and It’s On Us movements) increased dialogue about violence prevention and response on some campuses, while others experienced activism and advocacy surrounding sexual assault, including greater accountability and response from campus leadership. Some participants connected national political discourse (i.e., the 2016 presidential election, Brett Kavanaugh nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court) to increases in violence perpetration and decreased reporting and help-seeking behaviors after sexual assault.

Conclusions

Sociopolitical events and shifts in national dialogue surrounding violence affect perceptions and behaviors among students, faculty, staff, and overall college campus communities. Identifying potential impacts of national events can inform future prevention and response efforts and mobilize campus communities toward meaningful change.
Multiple Protein Profiler 1.0 (MPP): A Webserver for Predicting and Visualizing Physiochemical Properties of Proteins at the Proteome Level
Authors: Sganzerla Martinez Gustavo , Dutt Mansi , Kumar Anuj , Kelvin David J
Published: July 2024

Determining the physicochemical properties of a protein can reveal important insights in their structure, biological functions, stability, and interactions with other molecules. Although tools for computing properties of proteins already existed, we could not find a comprehensive tool that enables the calculations of multiple properties for multiple input proteins on the proteome level at once. Facing this limitation, we developed Multiple Protein Profiler (MPP) 1.0 as an integrated tool that allows the profiling of 12 individual properties of multiple proteins in a significant manner. MPP provides a tabular and graphic visualization of properties of multiple proteins. The tool is freely accessible at https://mproteinprofiler.microbiologyandimmunology.dal.ca/.
Regional bias in monolingual English language models
Authors: Lyu Jiachen , Dost Katharina , Koh Yun Sing , Wicker Jörg
Published: July 2024

In Natural Language Processing (NLP), pre-trained language models (LLMs) are widely employed and refined for various tasks. These models have shown considerable social and geographic biases creating skewed or even unfair representations of certain groups. Research focuses on biases toward L2 (English as a second language) regions but neglects bias within L1 (first language) regions. In this work, we ask if there is regional bias within L1 regions already inherent in pre-trained LLMs and, if so, what the consequences are in terms of downstream model performance. We contribute an investigation framework specifically tailored for low-resource regions, offering a method to identify bias without imposing strict requirements for labeled datasets. Our research reveals subtle geographic variations in the word embeddings of BERT, even in cultures traditionally perceived as similar. These nuanced features, once captured, have the potential to significantly impact downstream tasks. Generally, models exhibit comparable performance on datasets that share similarities, and conversely, performance may diverge when datasets differ in their nuanced features embedded within the language. It is crucial to note that estimating model performance solely based on standard benchmark datasets may not necessarily apply to the datasets with distinct features from the benchmark datasets. Our proposed framework plays a pivotal role in identifying and addressing biases detected in word embeddings, particularly evident in low-resource regions such as New Zealand.
Permutation-invariant linear classifiers
Authors: Lausser Ludwig , Szekely Robin , Kestler Hans A.
Published: July 2024

Invariant concept classes form the backbone of classification algorithms immune to specific data transformations, ensuring consistent predictions regardless of these alterations. However, this robustness can come at the cost of limited access to the original sample information, potentially impacting generalization performance. This study introduces an addition to these classes—the permutation-invariant linear classifiers. Distinguished by their structural characteristics, permutation-invariant linear classifiers are unaffected by permutations on feature vectors, a property not guaranteed by other non-constant linear classifiers. The study characterizes this new concept class, highlighting its constant capacity, independent of input dimensionality. In practical assessments using linear support vector machines, the permutation-invariant classifiers exhibit superior performance in permutation experiments on artificial datasets and real mutation profiles. Interestingly, they outperform general linear classifiers not only in permutation experiments but also in permutation-free settings, surpassing unconstrained counterparts. Additionally, findings from real mutation profiles support the significance of tumor mutational burden as a biomarker.
Neural discovery of balance-aware polarized communities
Authors: Gullo Francesco , Mandaglio Domenico , Tagarelli Andrea
Published: July 2024

Signed graphs are a model to depict friendly (positive) or antagonistic (negative) interactions (edges) among users (nodes). 2-Polarized-Communities (2pc) is a well-established combinatorial-optimization problem whose goal is to find two polarized communities from a signed graph, i.e., two subsets of nodes (disjoint, but not necessarily covering the entire node set) which exhibit a high number of both intra-community positive edges and negative inter-community edges. The state of the art in 2pc suffers from the limitations that (i) existing methods rely on a single (optimal) solution to a continuous relaxation of the problem in order to produce the ultimate discrete solution via rounding, and (ii) 2pc objective function comes with no control on size balance among communities. In this paper, we provide advances to the 2pc problem by addressing both these limitations, with a twofold contribution. First, we devise a novel neural approach that allows for soundly and elegantly explore a variety of suboptimal solutions to the relaxed 2pc problem, so as to pick the one that leads to the best discrete solution after rounding. Second, we introduce a generalization of 2pc objective function – termed $$\gamma $$
γ
-polarity – which fosters size balance among communities, and we incorporate it into the proposed machine-learning framework. Extensive experiments attest high accuracy of our approach, its superiority over the state of the art, and capability of function $$\gamma $$
γ
-polarity to discover high-quality size-balanced communities.
Disaster induced displacement and durable solutions in Africa
Authors: Mateko Freeman Munisi , Vutula Noncedo
Published: July 2024

Climate change represents a significant challenge to the sustainability of the global economy. Many African countries have suffered the repercussions of environmental and climate deterioration, most notably internal displacement. This article sought to examine the impact of climate change within the context of internal displacement in Africa and to preview and describe the trends of internally displaced people in Africa. The study used a mixed methods approach. Qualitative data was obtained from online repositories, and it was analyzed using content analysis. Quantitative data was obtained from World Bank portal and it was analysed using descriptive statistics. Research findings have shown that Africa is plagued by a high number of internally displaced people. It was also established that climate change leads to income inequality, the exposure of people to poverty, and the destruction of infrastructure. These adverse effects affect the capacity of African economies to attain selected Sustainable Development Goals. In terms of policy recommendations, it was suggested that there is a need to strengthen the regional and continental bodies, invest in climate change adaptation measures, broaden the definition of refugees to include climate refugees, and promote robust research and capacity building.
The metaphysics of mechanisms: an ontic structural realist perspective
Authors: Jiang Yihan
Published: July 2024

Existing metaphysical accounts of mechanisms commit to the existence of objects or entities posited in scientific theories, and thus fall within the category of maximal metaphysics. In this paper, I demonstrate the incompatibility of object-based metaphysics of mechanisms with the prevailing trend in the philosophy of physics by discussing the so-called bottoming-out problem. In response, I propose and flesh out a structuralist metaphysics of mechanisms based on Ontic Structural Realism (OSR), which is a kind of minimal metaphysics. I argue that the metaphysical underpinnings of mechanisms are structures, whose metaphysical nature is elaborated through comparison with existing metaphysical theories of mechanisms. After that, I address the concern of whether objects in mechanisms can be accommodated in my account by invoking existing metaphysical theories of objects in special science by structuralists, such as Ladyman, J., & Ross, D. (2007). Every Thing Must Go: Metaphysics Naturalized. Oxford University Press.)’s real pattern account, and suggesting a potential alignment between OSR and processual ontology. Finally, I demonstrate how my view can naturally serve as the metaphysics for Mechanism 2.0 and be applied to systems biology.
Temperature and LED lightning affect the regeneration of somatic embryo-derived sporophytes on the internode explants of the tree fern Cyathea delgadii Sternb.
Authors: Grzyb Małgorzata , Tomaszewicz Wojciech , Cioć Monika , Pawłowska Bożena , Mikuła Anna
Published: July 2024

The influence of the temperature and different light qualities emitted by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and fluorescent lamps (Fl) on the micropropagation of the tree fern Cyathea delgadii was evaluated. The most efficient somatic embryo production was obtained on internode explants at 22 °C. The optimal temperature range for obtaining well-developed plants was 24–28 °C. This stimulated the elongation and development of the first leaf and the formation of the next leaf and roots primordia. Temperatures lower than 24 °C and higher than 28 °C inhibited the formation of young sporophyte organs and delayed their development. The RBUV (35% red, 15% blue, and 50% UV) and B (100% blue) lights and Fl light were beneficial for the sporophyte production on internode explants. However, plants obtained under RBUV light were undeveloped. The white LED light stimulated the number of explants capable of gametophyte production and development. The RB light (70% red and 30% blue) enhanced the number of roots of newly-formed plants. Most of the LED lights tested had a good impact on root elongation compared to Fl light and constant darkness. The R light (100% red) benefits leaf development and elongation. Research shows that temperature and LED lightning play a significant role in the process of morphogenesis in C. delgadii, significantly affecting the embryogenic competence of somatic cells and the development of sporophytes.
Redundancy of p75NTR neurotrophin receptor function in development, growth and fertility in the rat
Authors: Meek Stephen , Singh-Dolt Karamjit , Sutherland Linda , Sharp Matthew G. F. , Del-Pozo Jorge , Walker David , Burdon Tom
Published: July 2024

The p75NTR neurotrophin receptor has positive and negative roles regulating cell survival in the nervous system. Unambiguous interpretation of p75NTR function in vivo has been complicated, however, by residual expression of alternate forms of p75NTR protein in initial p75NTR knock-out mouse models. As rats are the preferred rodent for studying brain and behaviour, and to simplify interpretation of the knock-out phenotype, we report here the generation of a mutant rat devoid of the p75NTR protein. TALEN-mediated recombination in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) was used to flank exon 2 of p75NTR with Lox P sites and produce transgenic rats carrying either un-recombined floxed p75NTREx2-fl, or recombined, exon-2 deleted p75NTREx2-Δ alleles. Crossing p75NTREx2-fl rats with a Cre-deleter strain efficiently removed exon 2 in vivo. Excision of exon 2 causes a frameshift after p75NTR Gly23 and eliminated p75NTR protein expression. Rats lacking p75NTR were healthy, fertile, and histological analysis did not reveal significant changes in cellular density or overall structure in their brains. p75NTR function is therefore largely dispensable for normal development, growth and basal homeostasis in the rat. However, the availability of constitutive and conditional p75NTREx2-Δ rats provides new opportunities to investigate specific roles of p75NTR upon injury and during tissue repair.
Supporting Care Transformation Through a Comprehensive Graduate Medical Education Curricular Program in a Department of Internal Medicine
Authors: Moriates Christopher , Wallingford Gregory , Vinas Emily , Sadler Holli , Parker F. Hudson , Reister Robin , Pignone Michael
Published: July 2024

Background

The imperative to train physicians in skills required to lead care transformation is increasingly recognized, yet few Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs exist to meet this need.

Aim

Describe the development, outcomes, and lessons learned from a novel GME care transformation curricular program.

Setting

Department of Internal Medicine (IM) at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas, Austin.

Participants

Between 2020 and 2023, 33 IM residents and fellows completed training with participation in the Care Transformation program.

Program Description

Department leadership developed a comprehensive educational and experiential program that included (1) Dell Medical School-wide Distinction in Care Transformation curriculum; (2) Primary Care Residency track with care transformation projects; (3) participation in the national Veterans Affairs Chief Resident in Quality and Safety program; and (4) Hospital Medicine Fellowship in Quality and Safety.

Program Evaluation

Each trainee led a care transformation project spanning a variety of topics and settings. Graduates who responded to a follow-up survey (22 of 33 graduates) reported they used skills learned through the program in their current roles and these experiences better prepared them for fellowship and/or faculty positions.

Discussion

The Care Transformation program provides real-world experiences and skillsets that are increasingly valuable in modern healthcare delivery.
Are Informal Older Workers Utilizing Less Healthcare Services? Evidence from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, Wave-1
Authors: Chowdhury Poulomi , Singh Akansha
Published: July 2024

India’s informal sector employs many workers without social security benefits, such as pension support and health insurance. Many older workers continue to work in this sector beyond the retirement age (60 + years) due to financial and health needs. Given the vulnerable position of informal older workers in terms of their social and economic stature, as well as the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, it becomes important to study healthcare utilization. The present research aims to investigate variations in healthcare visits by type of work in India for older workers. The first wave of LASI (2017-18) data has been used in this study. The overall healthcare visits, consisting of inpatient and outpatient care, are considered as the outcome variable for the analysis. Zero-inflated Poisson regression is applied to study the relationship between type of work and healthcare visits while controlling for other covariates. The results of zero-inflated Poisson regression shows that informal workers have fewer healthcare visits than formal workers (P < 0.01). However, the relationship between type of work and healthcare visits is influenced by health conditions, including chronic health conditions (CHC), depression as well as both CHC and depression. Informal workers with depression visit 0.892 times less (P < 0.05) than formal workers with depression. Informal workers with CHC and depression visit 0.847 times less (P < 0.0001) than formal workers with CHC and depression. The present study underscores the importance of proper economic support and healthcare provision to financially encourage older workers belonging to poor social-economic status to seek for healthcare services.
Quantitative Assessment of Geosites and Mine Heritage as a Resource: The Case Study of Lungro Salt Mine (Calabria, Italy)
Authors: La Russa M. F. , Patanè A. , Apollaro C. , Bloise A. , Fuoco I. , Ricca M. , Russo L. , Vespasiano G.
Published: July 2024

In this work, the old Lungro mining site was studied by applying two classification methods (Brilha and IELIG Method), considering the site-specific scientific, educational, touristic, and degradation aspects, to promote it as a geosite. The results were compared with those from other worldwide areas, and a potential re-evaluation in the tourism sector was suggested, considering historical data and geological issues. The methods used evaluate the Lungro site an average score from a scientific perspective, and from high to very high for the tourist-educational aspects. On the contrary, lower scores were found regarding the degradation of the site due to natural phenomena, led to a lower total score. The obtained results are comparable with other similar restored mining areas, located in various parts of the world which today represent important geotourists sites recognized internationally.

Based on these results, the safest, most cost-effective, and straightforward way to preserve and restore the site is by creating a “Geotourism Route.“. This choice would increase awareness of the area, providing the general public, including the curious and “non-experts”, with an understanding of various geological processes and the extensive history of the mine. A campaign to promote and preserve the Lungro site as a geoheritage will be encouraged, with significant implications for tourism at the local, national, and international levels.
Study of sex-biased differences in genomic profiles in East Asian hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Huang Chung-Yu , Tan Kien-Thiam , Huang Shiu-Feng , Lu Yen-Jung , Wang Yeh-Han , Chen Shu-Jen , Tse Ka-Po
Published: July 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by a notable sex disparity in incidence and tumor aggressiveness. Revealing differences in genetic landscapes between male and female HCCs may expand the understanding of sexual disparities mechanisms and assist the development of precision medicine. Although reports on the sex disparity of HCC are accumulated, studies focusing on sex-related biomarkers among Asian populations remain limited. Here, we conducted a comprehensive genomic profiling analysis to explore differences between male and female patients within a cohort of 195 Taiwanese HCC patients. We did not detect any sex-biased genomic alterations. However, when our investigation extended to the TCGA dataset, we found higher frequencies of gene copy gains in CCNE2 and mutations in CTNNB1 and TP53 among male patients. Besides, we further evaluated the associations between genomic alterations and patients’ prognosis by sex. The results showed that female patients harboring tumors with STAT3 gain and alterations in the JAK–STAT pathway displayed a poor prognosis. These two factors remained independently associated with unfavorable prognosis even after adjusting for the patient’s age and stage characteristics (Hazard ratio = 10.434, 95% CI 3.331–32.677, P < 0.001; Hazard ratio = 2.547, 95% CI 1.195–5.432, P = 0.016, respectively). In summary, this study provides valuable insights into understanding sex disparity in HCC in the East Asian population. Validation through larger cohorts and extensive sequencing efforts is warranted.
Literacy and Financial Education: Private Providers, Public Certification and Political Preferences
Authors: Guerini Carolina , Masciandaro Donato , Papini Alessia
Published: July 2024

Financial education can influence the level of financial literacy. In many countries public authorities implement financial education policy by means of ex ante certification of both private and public providers of education activities. This article uses political economy, educational marketing and text analysis as complementary tools to offer a positive analysis of such setting. Being financial education a credence good and given the key assumption that financial literacy is a country state–contingent endowment that deteriorates, as a consequence of innovation, the third-party certification can be considered as a strategic governance solution. Yet, when a public agency acts as third-party certifier, political and bureaucratic incentives shape its action. In particular, political activism in financial education can be motivated by financial instability worries. Such theoretical relationship is empirically confirmed applying text analyses, and using financial education narrative as a proxy for activism both for the politicians of the European Parliament and the bureaucrats of the ECB in the period 1997–2024.