bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The large-scale sustainable utilization status of bauxite residue (red mud): challenges and perspectives for China
Authors: Li Quanming , Geng Chao , Zhang Hong , Shi Xianfeng , Liu Jianguo , Chen Cheng
Published: September 2024

Red mud (abbreviated as RM) is a solid waste formed during the alumina refining process from bauxite. Every year, over 200 million tons of RM are discharged worldwide. China is a large producer of alumina; the entire amount of RM of China in storage exceeds 1 billion tons because there is no technology for large-scale treatment. Extensive studies on the sustainable utilization of RM have been conducted globally in recent decades. Thus, a detailed review is provided here. According to relevant data from institutions such as the International Aluminum Association, the critical situation of production and utilization of RM from 2011 to 2022 for the world and China are analyzed. This paper uses a comprehensive literature database to classify and statistically analyze RM related publications from 2011 to 2022. The results show that research on the comprehensive utilization of RM is mainly focused on three fields of metallurgy, construction, and environment. In these fields, the main issues of not achieving large-scale production of RM in China are discussed. The results indicate that unclear responsibilities, high technical costs, lack of policies and standards, and insufficient cross-disciplinary collaboration are the main reasons. Suggestions of the utilization and development of RM have been proposed.
$$A_4$$ modular invariance and the strong CP problem
Authors: Petcov S. T. , Tanimoto M.
Published: September 2024

We present simple effective theory of quark masses, mixing and CP violation with level $$N=3$$

N
=
3

($$A_4$$

A
4

) modular symmetry, which provides solution to the strong CP problem without the need for an axion. The vanishing of the strong CP-violating phase $${\bar{\theta }}$$

θ

¯

is ensured by assuming CP to be a fundamental symmetry of the Lagrangian of the theory. The CP symmetry is broken spontaneously by the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the modulus $$\tau $$
τ
. This provides the requisite large value of the CKM CP-violating phase while the strong CP phase $${\bar{\theta }}$$

θ

¯

remains zero or is tiny. Within the considered framework we discuss phenomenologically viable quark mass matrices with three types of texture zeros, which are realized by assigning both the left-handed and right-handed quark fields to $$A_4$$

A
4

singlets $$\textbf{1}$$
1
, $${\mathbf{1'}}$$

1
′

and $$\mathbf{1''}$$

1

′
′

with appropriate weights. The VEV of $$\tau $$
τ
is restricted to reproduce the observed CKM parameters. We discuss cases in which the modulus VEV is close to the fixed points i, $$\omega $$
ω
and $$i\infty $$

i
∞

. In particular, we focus on the VEV of $$\tau $$
τ
, which gives the absolute minima of the supergravity-motivated modular- and CP-invariant potentials for the modulus $$\tau $$
τ
, so called, modulus stabilisation. We present a successful model, which is consistent with the modulus stabilisation close to $$\tau =\omega $$

τ
=
ω

.
Network analysis of the relationship between different heart rate variability metrics during sleep
Authors: Mateos-Salgado Erik Leonardo , Pineda-Sánchez José Esael , Ayala-Guerrero Fructuoso , Gutiérrez-Chávez Carlos Alberto
Published: September 2024

Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the physiological phenomenon of variation in heartbeat duration, which can be characterized using various metrics. Considering a complex systems approach, in this study we used network modeling to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between different HRV metrics during sleep. Polysomnography recordings were performed on 24 healthy participants and their cardiac activity was sampled from the N2, N3, and REM sleep stages. Fifty-eight HRV metrics were calculated, and the relationship between each was assessed using mutual information (MI). One network was created for each sleep stage; HRV metrics constituted its nodes, and MI values were used to establish its edges. Repeated measures ANOVA was applied to each metric to assess variation between sleep stages. It was found that all three networks had characteristics of complex networks. Several communities of shared similar metrics were found across the three sleep stages. Of these, one community had the same metrics in stages N2 and N3, but in REM sleep was divided into three communities. REM sleep exhibited significant differences compared to the other sleep stages in several metrics. These preliminary findings allow us to suggest the application of this method in other HRV research contexts, which will determine its scope and limitations.
SDE-HNN: Accurate and Well-Calibrated Forecasting Using Stochastic Differential Equations
Authors: Cui Peng , Deng Zhijie , Hu Wenbo , Zhu Jun
Published: September 2024

It is crucial yet challenging for deep learning models to properly characterize uncertainty that is pervasive in real-world environments. Heteroscedastic neural networks (HNNs) are promising methods that capture data uncertainty for forecasting problems while existing HNNs have difficulties in conjoining calibrated uncertainty estimation and satisfactory predictive performance due to the failure to construct an explicit interaction between the prediction and its associated uncertainty. This article develops SDE-HNN, an improved HNN equipped with stochastic differential equations (SDE), to characterize the interaction between the predictive mean and variance inside HNNs for accurate and reliable forecasting. The existence and uniqueness of the solution to the devised neural SDE are guaranteed. Moreover, based on the bias-variance tradeoff for the optimization in SDE-HNN, we design an enhanced numerical SDE solver to improve learning stability. Finally, we present two new diagnostic uncertainty metrics to systematically evaluate the predictive uncertainty. Experiments on various challenging datasets show that our method significantly outperforms state-of-the-art baselines on both predictive performance and uncertainty quantification, delivering well-calibrated and sharp prediction intervals in time-series forecasting.
Taking into Account Opponent’s Arguments in Human-Agent Negotiations
Authors: Doğru Anıl , Keskin Mehmet Onur , Aydoğan Reyhan
Published: September 2024

Autonomous negotiating agents, which can interact with other agents, aim to solve decision-making problems involving participants with conflicting interests. Designing agents capable of negotiating with human partners requires considering some factors, such as emotional states and arguments. For this purpose, we introduce an extended taxonomy of argument types capturing human speech acts during the negotiation. We propose an argument-based automated negotiating agent that can extract human arguments from a chat-based environment using a hierarchical classifier. Consequently, the proposed agent can understand the received arguments and adapt its strategy accordingly while negotiating with its human counterparts. We initially conducted human-agent negotiation experiments to construct a negotiation corpus to train our classifier. According to the experimental results, it is seen that the proposed hierarchical classifier successfully extracted the arguments from the given text. Moreover, we conducted a second experiment where we tested the performance of the designed negotiation strategy considering the human opponent’s arguments and emotions. Our results showed that the proposed agent beats the human negotiator and gains higher utility than the baseline agent.
Image Steganography Approaches and Their Detection Strategies: A Survey
Authors: Kombrink Meike Helena , Geradts Zeno Jean Marius Hubert , Worring Marcel
Published: September 2024

Steganography is the art and science of hidden (or covered) communication. In digital steganography, the bits of image, video, audio and text files are tweaked to represent the information to hide. This article covers the current methods for hiding information in images, alongside steganalysis methods that aim to detect the presence of steganography. By reviewing 456 references, this article discusses the different approaches that can be taken toward steganography and its much less widely studied counterpart. Currently in research older steganography approaches are more widely used than newer methods even though these show greater potential. New methods do have flaws; therefore, more research is needed to make these practically applicable. For steganalysis one of the greatest challenges is the generalisability. Often one scheme can detect the presence of one specific hiding method. More research is needed to combine current schemes and/or create new generalisable schemes. To allow readers to compare results between different papers in our work, performance indications of all steganalysis methods are outlined and a comparison of performance is included. This comparison is given using ‘topological sorting’ graphs, which compares detection results from all papers (as stated in the papers themselves) on different steganographic schemes.
Investigating the Perception of Facial Anonymization Techniques in 360° Videos
Authors: Wöhler Leslie , Ikehata Satoshi , Aizawa Kiyoharu
Published: September 2024

In this work, we investigate facial anonymization techniques in 360° videos and assess their influence on the perceived realism, anonymization effect, and presence of participants. In comparison to traditional footage, 360° videos can convey engaging, immersive experiences that accurately represent the atmosphere of real-world locations. As the entire environment is captured simultaneously, it is necessary to anonymize the faces of bystanders in recordings of public spaces. Since this alters the video content, the perceived realism and immersion could be reduced. To understand these effects, we compare non-anonymized and anonymized 360° videos using blurring, black boxes, and face-swapping shown either on a regular screen or in a head-mounted display (HMD).

Our results indicate significant differences in the perception of the anonymization techniques. We find that face-swapping is the most realistic and least disruptive; however, participants raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of the anonymization. Furthermore, we observe that presence is affected by facial anonymization in HMD condition. Overall, the results underscore the need for facial anonymization techniques that balance both photo-realism and a sense of privacy.
The Book Review Column
Authors: Tran Nicholas
Published: September 2024

Graph Theory in America: The First Hundred Years (Princeton University Press, 2023) by Robin Wilson, John J. Watkins, and David J. Parks chronicles the first hundred years of graph theory in North America, starting with the arrival of James Joseph Sylvester at Johns Hopkins University in 1876 and ending with the proof of the four color theorem by Kenneth Appel and Wolfgang Haken in 1976.

Computability and Complexity: Foundations and Tools for Pursuing Scientific Applications (Springer, 2024) by decorated author Rod Downey is a new undergraduate textbook that covers advanced topics such as parameterized complexity, generic case complexity, and smoothed analysis.

How to Think about Algorithms, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2024) by Jeff Edmonds aims to teach students to think like a designer of algorithms. This new edition includes a short chapter on machine learning algorithms and more than 150 new exercises. A review of the first edition of this book appeared in this column in 2009.

Differential Privacy (The MIT Press, 2025) by Simson L. Garfinkel, a senior data scientist at the US Department of Homeland Security, explains the algorithmic technology used by Google, Apple, and the US Census Bureau to protect the privacy of individuals in large datasets.
Magnitude of obesity alone does not alter the alveolar lipidome
Authors: Tharp William G. , Morris Carolyn R. , Santos-Ortega Yulica , Vary Calvin P. , Bender S. Patrick , Dixon Anne E.
Published: September 2024

Altered lung lipid metabolism has been identified as a potential mechanism of lung dysfunction in obesity, but data in humans are lacking. We measured the alveolar lipidome in bronchoalveolar lavages from subjects with healthy lungs with a wide range of body mass index. There were no differences in lipidome composition in association with the magnitude of obesity. In patients with healthy lungs, obesity alone does not alter the alveolar lipidome.
Immune checkpoints are suppressed during pregnancy following influenza A virus infection
Authors: Vanders Rebecca L. , Gomez Henry M. , Daly Katie , Wark Peter A. , Horvat Jay C. , Hansbro Philip M.
Published: September 2024

Influenza infection worsens disease outcomes during pregnancy; however, treatment with anti-PDL1 can restore immune function during pregnancy.
Hydration of Early‐Age Composite Cement Paste Using Low‐Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Hu Dongkang , Hu Nan , Ben Shujun , Chen Shuo , Zhao Haitao
Published: September 2024

Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance is adopted in this paper for the study of the hydration process of early‐age pure and composite cement paste by monitoring the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) of water constrained in the paste. Based on the correlation between the changes of weighted average T1 and the hydration process of paste, the hydration process can be divided into four stages, i.e., initial period, dormant period, accelerated period, and steady period. The effect of water‐to‐cement ratio (w/c) and admixtures to hydration is discussed in detail. Compared to WC04, the weighted average T1 at the end of the dormant period increased by 4.79, 1.74, and 0.05 ms when 30% fly ash, 30% slag, and 10% silica fume were added, respectively. Based on experimental data and the Avrami–Erofeev equation, a hydration model for both pure and composite cement pastes is proposed, with a correlation that is higher than 0.96, which can describe the hydration process of paste well.
A Case Report of Thoracic Ectopia Cordis in a Hospital in Zanjan, Iran
Authors: Hosseini Mehdi , Zamani Hassan , Moghimi Shadi , Nekoufar Aref
Published: September 2024

Background and Aim. Ectopia cordis is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by the heart being located partially or completely outside of the thoracic cavity. Thoracic ectopia cordis is an even rarer form of this anomaly, with only a few reported cases in the literature. The aim of this study was to present the clinical and radiological findings of a patient with thoracic ectopia cordis and discuss the management and outcomes of this rare anomaly. Methods. A 17‐week‐old female neonate with a history of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart anomaly was admitted to Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan, Iran. For the diagnosis of thoracic ectopia, cordis fetal echocardiography and ultrasonography were performed. Moreover, the noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) genetic test performed in the 10th week of pregnancy was evaluated. Results. The neonate was diagnosed with thoracic ectopia cordis, with the heart located outside the thoracic cavity and covered by a thin membrane. The Z scores of the analyzed maternal venous blood chromosomes were between +6 and −6, and all chromosomes had a low risk in terms of the risk of birth defects. The results of this study revealed that genetic test analysis is not enough to diagnose and predict congenital anomalies and defects. Furthermore, the findings showed that the fetus’s mother continued to take folic acid after the first 3 months of pregnancy. This can be one of the risk factors involved in causing this heart defect. Conclusion. One of the important results of this study was that the diagnostic findings of ultrasound were normal, but the findings of echocardiography were reported as abnormal. This shows that fetal echocardiography is better than ultrasound imaging in diagnosing ectopia cordis. In addition, it is recommended that pregnant women should avoid taking folic acid after the first trimester of pregnancy.
A Study on the Potential of Valorizing Sargassum latifolium into Biofuels and Sustainable Value‐Added Products
Authors: El-Gendy Nour Sh. , Hosny Mohamed , Ismail Abdallah R. , Radwan Ahmed A. , Ali Basma A. , Ali Hager R. , El-Salamony Radwa A. , Abdelsalam Khaled M. , Mubarak Manal
Published: September 2024

To increase the limited commercial utility and lessen the negative environmental effects of the massive growth of brown macroalgae, this work illustrates the feasibility of valorizing the invasively proliferated Sargassum latifolium into different value‐added products. The proximate analysis recommends its applicability as a solid biofuel with a sufficient calorific value (14.82 ± 0.5 MJ/kg). It contains 6.00 ± 0.07% N + P2O5 + K2O and 29.61 ± 0.05% organic C. Its nutritional analysis proved notable carbohydrate, ash, protein, and fiber contents with a rational amount of lipid and a considerable amount of beneficial macronutrients and micronutrients, with a low concentration of undesirable heavy metals. That recommends its application in the organic fertilizer, food, medicine, and animal fodder industries. A proposed eco‐friendly sequential integrated process valorized its biomass into 77.6 ± 0.5 mg/g chlorophyll, 180 ± 0.5 mg/g carotenoids, 5.86 ± 0.5 mg/g fucoxanthin, 0.93 ± 0.5 mg/g β‐carotene, 21.97 ± 0.5% (w/w) alginate, and 16.40 ± 0.5% (w/w) cellulose, with different industrial and bioprocess applications. Furthermore, Aspergillus galapagensis SBWF1, Mucor hiemalis SBWF2, and Penicillium oxalicum SBWF3 (GenBank accession numbers OR636487, OR636488, and OR636489) have been isolated from its fresh biomass. Those showed wide versatility for hydrolyzing and saccharifying its polysaccharides. A Gram‐negative Stutzerimonas stutzeri SBB1(GenBank accession number OR764547) has also been isolated with good capabilities to ferment the produced pentoses, hexoses, and mannitol from the fungal saccharification, yielding 0.25 ± 0.014, 0.26 ± 0.018, and 0.37 ± 0.020 g ethanol/g algal biomass, respectively. Furthermore, in a pioneering step for valuing the suggested sequential biomass hydrolysis and bioethanol fermentation processes, the spent waste S. latifolium disposed of from the saccharification process has been valorized into C‐dots with potent biocidal activity against pathogenic microorganisms.
Male Survivors’ Disclosure of Conflict‐Related Sexual Violence in Mental Health Care Settings: Results from a Phenomenological Study with Clinical Experts in Germany
Authors: Schönenberg Kim Hella , Glaesmer Heide , Nesterko Yuriy
Published: September 2024

Conflict‐related sexual violence (CRSV) can severely impair survivors’ mental health and prompt their need for mental health care. Male survivors face gender‐related barriers to disclosing experiences of sexual violence, yet the understanding of factors impeding or promoting disclosure is limited. This knowledge gap is even more pronounced regarding male disclosure in refugee settings. The high prevalence of CRSV experiences in male refugees in European host countries points to the urgency of understanding male disclosure processes along with its barriers and facilitators, in order to provide for adequate mental health care. 10 clinical experts working with male survivors of CRSV in Germany were interviewed adopting an explorative phenomenological approach and using the Problem‐Centered Interview. Qualitative content analysis yielded five themes describing male disclosure of CRSV: 1. Experiences of CRSV commonly remain nonverbalized, 2. Disclosure of CRSV is a dialogical and iterative process, 3. The process of (non‐)disclosure is a negotiation of agency, 4. Disclosure of CRSV affects the survivor’s psychoemotional state, and 5. Disclosure and recovery are interdependent processes. Additionally, seven categories describing barriers to and facilitators of male disclosure were extracted: 1. trauma characteristics, 2. survivor variables, 3. clinician variables, 4. interpreter variables, 5. interpersonal variables, 6. contextual variables, and 7. sociocultural variables. Clinical experts emphasize the effectivity of a gender‐specific communicative taboo for male refugee survivors that intersect with socio‐cultural norms. Variables characterizing survivors who are at risk of not disclosing CRSV are identified. A discussion of clinical approaches to address the taboo surrounding CRSV and to support male refugee survivors in agentic disclosure and recovery is provided.
Applying the Relational Job Design Theory to the Retail Industry: The Association between Perceived Social Impact and Job Satisfaction, Turnover Intention, and Persistence
Authors: Matsumoto Hiroshige , Hagiwara Yasuhiro , Yamamoto-Mitani Noriko , Igarashi Ayumi
Published: September 2024

Retail workers contribute to the daily wellbeing of customers, including those living with disabilities or diseases. The relational job design theory suggests that one’s perceived social impact (PSI) of their job contributes to improvements in job satisfaction, turnover intention, and persistence. Confirming such an association could encourage organization managers to commit more to community care for the purpose of improving the work outcomes of their employees. However, how convenience store workers perceive the social contributions of their work and the perception’s impact on their work outcomes remains unclear. Thus, the first objective of this study was to examine the association between retail workers’ PSI and work outcomes (job satisfaction, turnover intention, and hours worked). The second objective was to evaluate the effect of an intervention aimed at increasing the PSI on work outcomes. This study was part of a project to evaluate a dementia‐friendly program for convenience store workers. All participants completed a baseline survey after randomization. The intervention group was then required to complete a multicomponent e‐learning intervention program within one month. One month later, both groups completed a postintervention survey. The e‐learning program included lectures on dementia, virtual contact with people living with dementia, and information on the positive impact of retail store jobs on customers living with dementia. A total of 161 and 145 participants were analyzed in the baseline study and the postintervention survey, respectively. Cross‐sectional analysis of baseline data showed that the workers’ PSI was significantly correlated with job satisfaction (β = 0.203, p < 0.001) and turnover intentions (β = −0.305, p = 0.006). However, the e‐learning intervention did not change PSI and work outcomes. Interventions that highlight workers’ prosocial contributions more effectively and are successful in changing their PSI may improve their engagement and work outcomes. For retail workers, intervention based on a relational job design framework may be effective; however, designing such interventions remains challenging. This trial is registered with UMIN000043623.
Comparing the Velocity Spectrum Caused by the Presence of Circular Urban Subway Tunnels With Free‐Field Conditions
Authors: Fakhriyeh Hamed , Vahdani Reza , Gerami Mohsen
Published: September 2024

For structures in the near field, the velocity spectrum is significant. The aim of this study is to examine, taking into account the soil–structure interaction (SSI), how metropolitan subway tunnels with a circular cross section in alluvial soils affect the ground surface velocity spectrum. The frequency of the soil–tunnel systems was altered by varying the parameters of the soil and the geometrical features of the tunnel, such as the radius, the lining’s thickness, and the depth of burial. The maximum velocity was determined at several sites on the ground surface as well as the tunnel crown. Based on the soil–tunnel system’s period, the spectrum velocity graph was produced by averaging and squaring the standard deviation of the highest velocity for every frequency. Ansys finite element software and Plaxis2D were used in this study. The findings demonstrate that the tunnel’s presence reduces spectral velocity (SV) relative to free‐field (FF) circumstances during the examined period at the position that corresponds to the ground‐based image of the tunnel crown. The tunnel’s existence lowers the ground‐level velocity range by 14.5 percent. By moving away from the image of the tunnel crown on the ground surface, the presence of the tunnel amplifies the SV at more points by 5.5% at long periods. In addition, the tunnel crown velocity spectrum was developed. The findings indicate that the velocity spectrum diagram’s envelope for the tunnel crown is a nonlinear function of the soil–tunnel system’s period.
EBV‐Positive Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma and Primary Nodal T‐Cell/NK‐Cell Lymphoma Arising in the Background of Follicular Lymphoma
Authors: Raychaudhuri Suravi , Dong Zhao Ming , Knowles Scott , Graf Solomon
Published: September 2024

EBV‐positive primary nodal T‐cell/NK cell lymphoma (TNKL) is a rare diagnosis with a poor prognosis. No relationship with follicular lymphoma (FL), classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), or other non‐Hodgkin lymphomas is established. We describe a case of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐positive cHL and EBV‐positive primary nodal TNKL in the background of an antecedent FL, with all 3 subtypes identified in a single lymph node biopsy from an immunocompetent patient. Intensive frontline therapy achieved only a temporary response, with subsequent rapid progression associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). We discuss the relationship of the three lymphoma subtypes and the potential roles of EBV and immune dysregulation as contributing factors to this previously undescribed composite lymphoma.
The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Clinical Trials
Authors: Afraie Maryam , Bahrami Pourya , Kohnepoushi Parisa , Khateri Sorour , Majidi Lobat , Saed Lotfollah , Zamani Kamran , Baharm Hedyeh Mohammadi , Moradi Yousef , Moradpour Farhad
Published: September 2024

Background and Aims: The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), fasting blood sugar (FBS), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and the total vitamin D level in patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in databases such as PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov using relevant keywords from January 1990 to January 2024. After screening and extracting data, a qualitative evaluation of articles was performed using the Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2).

Results: The findings revealed that vitamin D supplementation significantly decreased the mean HbA1C (SMD: −0.15; 95% CI: −0.29, −0.20; Isquare: 79.76%; p value < 0.001) and mean FBS (SMD: −0.28; 95% CI: −0.40, −0.15; Isquare: 70.13%; p value < 0.001), lowered SBP (SMD: −0.06; 95% CI: −0.16, −0.05; Isquare: 39.63%; p value = 0.23), and reduced LDL (SMD: −0.11; 95% CI: −0.28, −0.05; Isquare: 73.66%; p value < 0.001). Furthermore, vitamin D supplementation increased the average HDL (SMD: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.29; Isquare: 79.33%; p value < 0.001) and vitamin D levels (SMD: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.53, 2.04; Isquare: 91.92%; p value < 0.001) in patients with T2DM. Subgroup analyses showed that weight gain, BMI, and duration of the disease could reduce the effect of vitamin D supplementation on diabetes control in affected patients.

Conclusion: The results also indicated that taking vitamin D supplements in the amount of 50,000 IU had a significant effect on reducing the indicators related to diabetes control. Based on the combined evidence, the findings of this meta‐analysis suggest that vitamin D supplementation can significantly improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of complications associated with T2DM, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
Integrated Germline and Somatic Features Reveal Divergent Immune Pathways Driving Response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Sears Timothy J. , Pagadala Meghana S. , Castro Andrea , Lee Ko-han , Kong JungHo , Tanaka Kairi , Lippman Scott M. , Zanetti Maurizio , Carter Hannah
Published: September 2024

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized cancer treatment; however, the mechanisms determining patient response remain poorly understood. Here, we used machine learning to predict ICB response from germline and somatic biomarkers and interpreted the learned model to uncover putative mechanisms driving superior outcomes. Patients with higher infiltration of T-follicular helper cells had responses even in the presence of defects in the MHC class-I (MHC-I). Further investigation uncovered different ICB responses in tumors when responses were reliant on MHC-I versus MHC-II neoantigens. Despite similar response rates, MHC II–reliant responses were associated with significantly longer durable clinical benefits (discovery: median overall survival of 63.6 vs. 34.5 months; P = 0.0074; validation: median overall survival of 37.5 vs. 33.1 months; P = 0.040). Characteristics of the tumor immune microenvironment reflected MHC neoantigen reliance, and analysis of immune checkpoints revealed LAG3 as a potential target in MHC II–reliant but not MHC I–reliant responses. This study highlights the value of interpretable machine learning models in elucidating the biological basis of therapy responses.
Expecting Relocation to a Nursing Home: Longitudinal Links with Functional Limitations, Self-Rated Health, and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Verspeek Emmie A. M. , Brehmer Yvonne , Jongerling Joran , Hering Alexandra , van Scheppingen Manon A.
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Developing realistic expectations of future old age constitutes an adaptational process which facilitates the anticipation of and adjustment to challenges, such as relocation to a nursing home. Developing such expectations might minimize the negative impacts of relocation. This pre-registered study examined (1) to which extent lower levels and declines in health (i.e., functional limitations and self-rated health) and life satisfaction before relocation were associated with higher levels and increases in expectations to relocate and (2) to which extent higher expectations to relocate were associated with more positive changes in health and life satisfaction after relocation. Methods: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; 2006–2018), we selected older adults (aged 65 years and older) who relocated to a nursing home. We used latent growth curve models to assess the longitudinal links between self-reported measures of health, life satisfaction, and expectations to relocate to a nursing home from up to 7 years before (n = 1,048) until up to 5 years after relocation (n = 307). Results: As hypothesized, more functional limitations and lower self-rated health were related to higher expectations of relocation. Surprisingly, changes in expectations to relocate were not related to changes in health and life satisfaction before relocation. Moreover, expectations to relocate were not associated with changes in health and life satisfaction after relocation. Conclusion: The absence of a link between expectations to relocate to a nursing home with changes in health and well-being suggests that these expectations did not constitute adaptational processes before or after this transition.
IRS2 Signaling Protects Against Stress-Induced Arrhythmia by Maintaining Ca
2+
Homeostasis
Authors: Shi Qian , Wang Jinxi , Malik Hamza , Li Xuguang , Streeter Jennifer , Sharafuddin Jacob , Weatherford Eric , Stein David , Itan Yuval , Chen Biyi , Hall Duane , Song Long-Sheng , Abel E. Dale
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

The docking protein IRS2 (insulin receptor substrate protein-2) is an important mediator of insulin signaling and may also regulate other signaling pathways. Murine hearts with cardiomyocyte-restricted deletion of
Irs2
(cIRS2-KO) are more susceptible to pressure overload–induced cardiac dysfunction, implying a critical protective role of IRS2 in cardiac adaptation to stress through mechanisms that are not fully understood. There is limited evidence regarding the function of IRS2 beyond metabolic homeostasis regulation, particularly in the context of cardiac disease.

METHODS:

A retrospective analysis of an electronic medical record database was conducted to identify patients with
IRS2
variants and assess their risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Arrhythmia susceptibility was examined in cIRS2-KO mice. The underlying mechanisms were investigated using confocal calcium imaging of ex vivo whole hearts and isolated cardiomyocytes to assess calcium handling, Western blotting to analyze the involved signaling pathways, and pharmacological and genetic interventions to rescue arrhythmias in cIRS2-KO mice.

RESULTS:

The retrospective analysis identified patients with
IRS2
variants of uncertain significance with a potential association to an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias compared with matched controls. cIRS2-KO hearts were found to be prone to catecholamine-sensitive ventricular tachycardia and reperfusion ventricular tachycardia. Confocal calcium imaging of ex vivo whole hearts and single isolated cardiomyocytes from cIRS2-KO hearts revealed decreased Ca²⁺ transient amplitudes, increased spontaneous Ca²⁺ sparks, and reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ content during sympathetic stress, indicating sarcoplasmic reticulum dysfunction. We identified that overactivation of the AKT1/NOS3 (nitric oxide synthase 3)/CaMKII (Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II)/RyR2 (type 2 ryanodine receptor) signaling pathway led to calcium mishandling and catecholamine-sensitive ventricular tachycardia in cIRS2-KO hearts. Pharmacological AKT inhibition or genetic stabilization of RyR2 rescued catecholamine-sensitive ventricular tachycardia in cIRS2-KO mice.

CONCLUSIONS:

Cardiac IRS2 inhibits sympathetic stress-induced AKT/NOS3/CaMKII/RyR2 overactivation and calcium-dependent arrhythmogenesis. This novel IRS2 signaling axis, essential for maintaining cardiac calcium homeostasis under stress, presents a promising target for developing new antiarrhythmic therapies.
To Enact or to Implement?
Authors: Dunee Donatus , Ayimadu Edwin Twum , Asante Isaac Osei , Mwinbuobu Vitus Galaa , Felicia Pangestu Fira , Daanaah Benedicta
Published: September 2024

This study analyses Ghana’s climate-change legal and policy frameworks, pinpointing significant gaps and offering targeted recommendations to bolster the nation’s resilience against climate change. Despite Ghana’s commitments under international agreements and the formulation of national policies, challenges persist in policy implementation, sectoral integration, research, stakeholder engagement, funding and adaptation strategies. The paper argues for a robust, integrated approach to enhance Ghana’s climate governance, highlighting the necessity for improved implementation capacity, cross-sectoral policy harmonisation, enhanced climate data collection, active stakeholder participation, innovative financing and a stronger focus on adaptation and resilience. Key recommendations advocate for political commitment, collaborative efforts and resource mobilisation to ensure effective climate action. This condensed analysis contributes to the broader dialogue on climate-change management in emerging economies, offering insights for policy-makers and stakeholders on advancing climate resilience and sustainable development.
Investigating the Atmospheric Conditions Associated with Impactful Shallow Landslides in California (USA)
Authors: Oakley Nina S. , Perkins Jonathan P. , Bartlett Samuel M. , Collins Brian D. , Comstock Karimah H. , Brien Dianne L. , Burgess W. Paul , Corbett Skye C.
Published: September 2024

Shallow landslides are often triggered during rainfall events, which can increase subsurface soil water pressure and destabilize hillslopes. The likelihood of regional shallow landslide initiation is often assessed through a comparison of rainfall intensity and duration to pre-established thresholds. While informative for landslide warning, this exclusive focus on rainfall exceeding thresholds does not consider the meteorological conditions producing the rainfall. Here, we ask the question, are there common meteorological characteristics that lead to landslide-triggering precipitation? We develop a catalog of 18 post-1995 widespread, impactful shallow landslide events occurring within 13 storms across California, USA, where initiation time could be constrained to a ≤6-h window. We examine storm characteristics during the landslide initiation window using atmospheric reanalysis products, radar observations, and quantitative precipitation estimates. We find that, while there are some common atmospheric characteristics across landslide events, they can occur under a range of atmospheric conditions. For example, all Northern California landslide events assessed are associated with moderate to strong atmospheric rivers (ARs), while Southern California landslides feature non-AR to strong AR conditions. The storm events evaluated herein share many characteristics of hydrologically important storms in California that did not necessarily result in landslides; thus, atmospheric characteristics alone may not be sufficient to determine whether landslides will occur. However, documenting the characteristics of landslide-triggering storms defines the conditions under which landslides tend to occur, provides analog events that can be useful in forecast applications, helps define future research directions relating to atmospheric conditions and landslides, and supports interdisciplinary research efforts.

Significance Statement

Rainfall-triggered landslides pose a threat to communities situated in and around California’s steep terrain. Thresholds related to measured antecedent rainfall accumulation and anticipated rainfall intensity over various durations are typically used for predicting landslide occurrence. Here, we assess various atmospheric characteristics of 18 storms that triggered landslides to determine whether there are common characteristics that could provide insight into landslide occurrence beyond precipitation information. Our results indicate while there are some common characteristics across landslide events, the events can occur under a range of conditions. This finding and the documentation of these events are useful for communicating weather forecasts and potential hazards, help build an interdisciplinary understanding of landslide-triggering precipitation, and highlight future research needs.
Process-Oriented Compound Long-Duration Dry and Hot Events in China: Atmospheric Conditions, Moisture, and Heat Budget Analyses
Authors: Yang Yi , Tang Jianping
Published: September 2024

Summertime compound dry and hot events pose severe threats to agricultural production and human health, especially those with a long duration. Considering the joint evolution of such hazards in space and time, spatiotemporal compound long-duration dry and hot (SLDDH) events in China during 1961–2022 are identified with a process-oriented method. Here, we investigate the associated large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and the physical processes causing their precipitation and temperature anomalies. In all regions of China, this persistent dry–hot compound extreme is accompanied by anomalous high pressure systems along with enhanced descending motion, increased net surface solar radiation, and decreased water vapor flux convergence. Moisture budget diagnosis shows that precipitation deficits during the SLDDH events are produced primarily by the suppressed vertical moisture advection associated with the dynamical contribution of anomalous subsidence, while the thermodynamic process due to the anomaly in atmospheric moisture content makes a small contribution. Horizontal temperature advection generally plays a negative role in sustaining SLDDH events, while it helps trigger the events in North China. In most regions, adiabatic warming due to abnormal subsidence plays a dominant role in determining the near-surface high temperatures during the long-lasting warm and dry periods, whereas diabatic heating has a cooling or small effect therein. However, in some northern areas such as North China and northern Xinjiang, hot extremes during SLDDH events arise from a combination of diabatic heating and adiabatic warming. This study thus quantifies and reveals the crucial factors leading to the severity of compound dry and hot events.
A Markov Model Approach for Statistical Tropical Cyclone Wind Radii Baseline Forecasts
Authors: Knaff John A. , Sampson Charles R. , Slocum Christopher J. , Tourville Natalie D.
Published: September 2024

A skill baseline for 5-day, 34-, 50-, and 64-kt (1 kt = 0.514 m s−1) tropical cyclone (TC) wind radii forecasts is described. The Markov Model Cliper (MMCL) generates a sequence of 12-h forecasts out to a forecast length limited only by the length of the forecast track and intensity. The model employs a climatology of TC size based on infrared satellite imagery, a Markov chain, and a basin-specific drift. MMCL uses the initial wind radii and initial track and intensity forecast as input. Unlike the previously developed wind radii climatology and persistence model (DRCL) that reverts to a climatological size and shape after approximately 48 h, MMCL retains more of its initial size and asymmetry and is likely more palatable for use in operational forecasting. MMCL runs operationally in the western North Pacific basin, the north Indian Ocean, and the Southern Hemisphere for the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This work also describes the development of Atlantic and eastern North Pacific versions of MMCL. MMCL’s formulation allows unlimited extension of forecast lead time without reverting to a generic climatological size and shape. Independent forecast comparisons between MMCL and DRCL for the 2020–22 seasons demonstrates that MMCL’s mean absolute errors are generally smaller and biases are closer to zero in North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific basins and in the Southern Hemisphere. This validation includes a few example forecasts and demonstrates that MMCL can be used both as a baseline for assessing wind radii forecast skill and operational use.

Significance Statement

Skill baselines for forecasts play a key role in assessing the difficulties of individual forecasts and the forecast skill of more complex algorithms. Baselines serve as guidance when better-performing algorithms are unavailable or inconsistent with the operational forecasts. Here, we present a simple and always available algorithm for generating tropical cyclone (TC) wind radii that retain size and shape throughout the forecast better than the prior developed method. The algorithm also better captures the nearly ubiquitous wind field expansion through a tropical cyclone lifetime. This algorithm, developed to use the same initial data as its predecessor, provides more realistic forecast wind radii and has performance that is slightly superior to its predecessor.
Glioma Identification Based on Digital Multimodal Spectra Integrated With Deep Learning Feature Fusion Using a Miniature Raman Spectrometer
Authors: Li Qingbo , Chen Shufan
Published: September 2024

The miniature fiber Raman spectroscopy detection technology can reflect the properties of biomolecules through spectral characteristics and has the advantages of noninvasiveness, real-time, safety, label-free operation, and potential for early cancer diagnosis. This technology holds promise for developing portable, low-cost, intraoperative tumor detection instruments. Glioma is one of the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system with rapid growth and a short disease course. However, the considerable heterogeneity of the glioma sample leads to substantial intraclass variance in collected spectra, coupled with the miniature Raman spectrometer's low signal-to-noise ratio. These factors diminish the accuracy of the brain glioma recognition model. To address this issue, a glioma identification method based on digital multimodal spectra integrated with deep learning features fusion (DMS-DLFF) using the miniature Raman spectrometer is proposed. Different from existing multimodal tumor detection methods employing multiple spectral instruments, DMS-DLFF enhances tumor identification accuracy without increasing hardware costs. The method mathematically decomposes the original spectra to Raman and fluorescence spectra, so as to augment the biospectral information. Then, the deep learning method is used to extract the feature information of the two kinds of spectra, respectively, and the digital multimodal spectral fusion is realized at the feature level. Moreover, a two-layer pattern recognition model is constructed based on the ensemble strategy, amalgamating the strengths of diverse classifiers. Meanwhile, the bagging strategy is introduced to improve support vector machine algorithms, one of the basic classifiers. Compared with traditional methodologies, DMS-DLFF operates at both the feature level and decision level, employing high-information-density feature vectors to train ensemble classification models for increasing overall recognition accuracy. This study collected 260 Raman spectra of glioma and 151 Raman spectra of normal brain tissue. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 91.9%, 96.7%, and 80.8%, respectively. The proposed method outperforms traditional algorithms in brain glioma detection, which helps doctors formulate precise surgical plans and thereby improve patient prognosis.
The family transmission of religion in Canada: An intergenerational approach to religious socialization
Authors: Legault-Leclair Jacob
Published: September 2024

This article seeks to measure the effect of parental socialization on the intergenerational transmission of religion and religiosity levels in Canada. Basing the analysis on the cohort replacement theory, the author is able to quantify the intergenerational change in religiosity. The use of a novel database – The Transmission of Religion across Generations – allows the author to demonstrate that there was an intergenerational decline in affiliation within all of the religious groups analysed (Catholicism, mainline Protestant, evangelical and Pentecostal, Islam, and ‘other religions’) and that the average level of religiosity is also decreasing. Among the socialization factors examined, only ‘talking about religion with certain family members’ and ‘the presence of religion in the household during childhood’ had a positive effect on the religiosity of the respondents. However, despite the positive effect of these indicators, the results reveal that their strength is not sufficient to reverse the overall trend of intergenerational religious decline and general secularization.
The Social Production of Hate Crime Statistics: The Differential Construction of Islamophobic Hate Crime by the Media and Law Enforcement
Authors: Mills Jack M. , Lantz Brendan , Wenger Marin R.
Published: September 2024

The decentralized nature of American policing largely allows agencies to define crime, and the requisite severity of that crime, at the institutional level. As a result, local hate crime statistics are differentially constructed across space. The current research posits that official hate crime statistics most accurately reflect a rate-producing, rather than a behavior-producing, process. Focusing on anti-Muslim hate crime, a particularly understudied form of hate crime, we examine reporting differences across community factors, using the media reports as a comparison point. We analyze official FBI hate crime reports, and news reports collected by Mapping Islamophobia, employing a logistic regression to predict anti-Muslim hate crime reporting. Our findings suggest significant variation in the social construction of anti-Muslim hate crime, both across institutions and across space.