bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine Learning applied to student attentiveness detection: Using emotional and non-emotional measures
Authors: Elbawab Mohamed , Henriques Roberto
Published: May 2023

Electronic learning (e-learning) is considered the new norm of learning. One of the significant drawbacks of e-learning in comparison to the traditional classroom is that teachers cannot monitor the students' attentiveness. Previous literature used physical facial features or emotional states in detecting attentiveness. Other studies proposed combining physical and emotional facial features; however, a mixed model that only used a webcam was not tested. The study objective is to develop a machine learning (ML) model that automatically estimates students' attentiveness during e-learning classes using only a webcam. The model would help in evaluating teaching methods for e-learning. This study collected videos from seven students. The webcam of personal computers is used to obtain a video, from which we build a feature set that characterizes a student's physical and emotional state based on their face. This characterization includes eye aspect ratio (EAR), Yawn aspect ratio (YAR), head pose, and emotional states.

A total of eleven variables are used in the training and validation of the model. ML algorithms are used to estimate individual students' attention levels. The ML models tested are decision trees, random forests, support vector machines (SVM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Human observers' estimation of attention level is used as a reference. Our best attention classifier is the XGBoost, which achieved an average accuracy of 80.52%, with an AUROC OVR of 92.12%. The results indicate that a combination of emotional and non-emotional measures can generate a classifier with an accuracy comparable to other attentiveness studies. The study would also help assess the e-learning lectures through students' attentiveness. Hence will assist in developing the e-learning lectures by generating an attentiveness report for the tested lecture.
Cognitive Reflection and Decision-Making Accuracy: Examining Their Relation and Boundary Conditions in the Context of Evidence-based Management
Authors: Criado-Perez Christian , Jackson Chris , Minbashian Amirali , Collins Catherine G.
Published: May 2023

Evidence-based management (EBM) is an increasingly advocated yet rarely adopted framework to assist in making organizational decisions. We investigate how cognitive reflection – the ability or disposition to question an intuitive response and rely instead on a more analytical process—influences decision-making accuracy in the context of EBM. Across three experimental studies (N = 332, 166 and 99), we determine the effects of using actively sought and passively sought evidence, in boundary conditions of cognitive and emotional load. Results of study 1 show that cognitive reflection is generally associated with higher decision-making accuracy, particularly in passive pathways to EBM, and when exposed to low cognitive load. Results of studies 2 and 3 support that passive pathways to EBM will result in higher accuracy, and that negative emotion inducing stimuli can strengthen the effect of cognitive reflection on evidence collection. The findings demonstrate that a contingency approach to EBM is critical, with the impact of cognitive reflection differing for situational constraints and for actively and passively sought evidence.
Between Fiction, Reality, and Ideality: Virtual Objects as Computationally Grounded Intentional Objects
Authors: Skowron Bartłomiej , Stacewicz Paweł
Published: May 2023

Virtual objects, such as online shops, the elements that go to make up virtual life in computer games, virtual maps, e-books, avatars, cryptocurrencies, chatbots, holograms, etc., are a phenomenon we now encounter at every turn: they have become a part of our life and our world. Philosophers—and ontologists in particular—have sought to answer the question of what, exactly, they are. They fall into two camps: some, pointing to the chimerical character of virtuality, hold that virtual objects are like dreams, illusions and fictions, while others, citing the real impact of virtuality on our world, take them to be real—an actual part of the real world, just like other real objects. In this article, we defend the thesis that both sides are wrong. Using Roman Ingarden’s phenomenological ontology, we advocate a position according to which a virtual object is a computationally grounded intentional object that has its existential foundation in computational processes, which are compliant with a certain model of computation. We point out that virtuality is framed by some kind of ideal mathematical objects: i.e., mathematical models of computation, which in turn fall, each of them, under their respective ideas. We also refer to the idea of natural computation, which in conjunction with the ontological analysis carried out leads to the thesis that an object can be more or less virtual.
Atomically Dispersed Dual-Metal Sites Showing Unique Reactivity and Dynamism for Electrocatalysis
Authors: Wu Jun-Xi , Chen Wen-Xing , He Chun-Ting , Zheng Kai , Zhuo Lin-Ling , Zhao Zhen-Hua , Zhang Jie-Peng
Published: May 2023

The real structure and in situ evolution of catalysts under working conditions are of paramount importance, especially for bifunctional electrocatalysis. Here, we report asymmetric structural evolution and dynamic hydrogen-bonding promotion mechanism of an atomically dispersed electrocatalyst. Pyrolysis of Co/Ni-doped MAF-4/ZIF-8 yielded nitrogen-doped porous carbons functionalized by atomically dispersed Co–Ni dual-metal sites with an unprecedented N8V4 structure, which can serve as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. More importantly, the electrocatalyst showed remarkable activation behavior due to the in situ oxidation of the carbon substrate to form C–OH groups. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the flexible C–OH groups can form reversible hydrogen bonds with the oxygen evolution reaction intermediates, giving a bridge between elementary reactions to break the conventional scaling relationship.
Have You Ever Seen a Robot? An Analysis of Children’s Drawings Between Technology and Science Fiction
Authors: Giang Christian , Addimando Loredana , Botturi Luca , Negrini Lucio , Giusti Alessandro , Piatti Alberto
Published: May 2023

Technologies have become an essential part of the daily life of our children. Consequently, artifacts that imply the early adoption of abstract thinking affect the imagination of children and young people in relation to the world of technology, now much more than they did in the past. With the emerging importance of robots in many aspects of our everyday lives, the goal of this study is to investigate which mental representations children have about robots. To this end, drawings from 104 children aged between 7 and 12 years old were used as a map of representations, considering the drawings as a proxy capable of evoking learned or emerging mental frameworks. The drawings were analyzed in several steps: they were first labeled using binary descriptors and then classified using clustering methods based on Hamming distances between drawings. Finally, questionnaire items covering children’s perceptions about robots were analyzed for each of the resulting cluster separately to identify differences between them. The results show that there are relationships between the way children draw robots and their perception about robots’ capabilities as well as their aspirations to pursue a career in science. These findings can provide meaningful insights into how to design educational robots and learning activities for children to learn with and about robots.
The Beginning of the Early Upper Paleolithic in Poland
Authors: Picin Andrea , Stefański Damian , Cieśla Magda , Valde-Nowak Paweł
Published: May 2023

Research on the timing ofHomo sapiensdispersals in Central Europe is pivotal for understanding the behavioral trajectories of human adaptation to low biomass environments and cold climates. Previous studies on the Early Upper Paleolithic of Poland described a different scenario from the European panorama characterized by the local development of a laminar/lamellar technology from the foregoing Middle Paleolithic and the coexistence of different Aurignacian variants after 35 ka BP. In this paper, we examine this technical diversity by reassessing and revising the chronological and technological information of the key Aurignacian sites in Poland. Our study reveals that the distinctive techno-typological features of the different Aurignacian types are most likely the result of the mixing of artifacts from different chronologies. In our view, Poland was visited intermittently byHomosapiens since the Early Aurignacian. The deterioration of the climatic conditions during the second half of MIS 3 converted the Polish territories into a satellite area of the Aurignacian settlement system.
Similarity-Based Interference in Sentence Comprehension in Aphasia: a Computational Evaluation of Two Models of Cue-Based Retrieval
Authors: Lissón Paula , Paape Dario , Pregla Dorothea , Burchert Frank , Stadie Nicole , Vasishth Shravan
Published: May 2023

Sentence comprehension requires the listener to link incoming words with short-term memory representations in order to build linguistic dependencies. The cue-based retrieval theory of sentence processing predicts that the retrieval of these memory representations is affected by similarity-based interference. We present the first large-scale computational evaluation of interference effects in two models of sentence processing — the activation-based model and a modification of the direct-access model — in individuals with aphasia (IWA) and control participants in German. The parameters of the models are linked to prominent theories of processing deficits in aphasia, and the models are tested against two linguistic constructions in German: pronoun resolution and relative clauses. The data come from a visual-world eye-tracking experiment combined with a sentence-picture matching task. The results show that both control participants and IWA are susceptible to retrieval interference, and that a combination of theoretical explanations (intermittent deficiencies, slow syntax, and resource reduction) can explain IWA’s deficits in sentence processing. Model comparisons reveal that both models have a similar predictive performance in pronoun resolution, but the activation-based model outperforms the direct-access model in relative clauses.
Analytics Modules for Business Students
Authors: Carroll Paula
Published: May 2023

Data science is a relatively new requirement for business students. Historically, many business students shied away from business statistics and quantitative or operational research (OR) modules believing them to be boring and irrelevant. The high-profile use of analytics and modelling during the COVID pandemic has drawn awareness to the relevance of analytics. Greater availability of data and modelling tools afford business students an opportunity to re-engage with operational research and analytics and to enjoy the satisfaction of modelling and solving real-world problems, but the challenge of the mathematical modelling skills gap of business students remains. In this paper, we describe a learning pathway of modules in business analytics that can enhance business students’ confidence and capabilities in performing statistical and analytical business tasks. We recommend modelling tools and incremental innovative mathematical modelling teaching approaches that are pedagogically sound and suitable for business students with varying quantitative backgrounds.
Development of fibrotic gene signature and construction of a prognostic model in melanoma
Authors: Chen Siyu , Shi Congyu , Li Bo , Li Longjiang
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is a malignant tumor responsible for over 75% of skin cancer deaths, the relationship between fibrosis and cancer has been increasingly appreciated. The aim of this study is to investigate the fibrotic gene signature (FGS) in melanoma and construct a prognostic model based on FGS.

Methods

SKCM-related datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. By weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of the TCGA-SKCM cohort and GSE65904 cohort, core modules and central genes highly associated with fibrotic features were identified and intersecting genes were defined as fibrotic gene signature (FGS). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis and the Akaike information criterion (AIC) method were conducted to construct a prognostic model based on the FGS gene set. The fibrotic gene signature enrichment score (FGES) and fibrotic gene signature risk score (FGRS) were used to analyze immune infiltration. For FGRS, the correlation between clinical characteristics and the expression of immune checkpoint genes between different risk groups was also analyzed in depth.

Results

A total of 301 genes were defined as FGS, and a robust eight-gene prediction model was constructed based on FGS, these 8 genes are SV2A, HEYL, OLFML2A, PROX1, ACOX2, PRRX1, PHACTR1 and LHX6. On the basis of the model, a nomogram consisting of FGRS could accurately predict prognosis. In addition, patients in the high-risk group showed immunosuppression, while patients in the low-risk group may benefit more from immunotherapy. However, there was no significant difference between the immune infiltration of different FGES groups.

Conclusion

In this study, taken together, we developed a fibrotic gene signature in melanoma, and construct an eight-gene prognostic model based on the FGS to provide a reference for prognosis estimation and treatment selection for melanoma patients.
Beckett and Stein
Authors: Nugent Georgina
Published: May 2023

What motivated Beckett, in 1937, to distance himself from the 'most recent work' of his mentor James Joyce, and instead praise the writings of Gertrude Stein as better reflecting his 'very desirable literature of the non-word'? This Element conducts the first extended comparative study of Stein's role in the development of Beckett's aesthetics. In doing so it redresses the major critical lacuna that is Stein's role and influence on Beckett's nascent bilingual aesthetics of the late 1930s. It argues for Stein's influence on the aesthetics of language Beckett developed throughout the 1930s, and on the overall evolution of his bilingual English writings, arguing that Stein's writing was itself inherently bilingual. It forwards the technique of renarration – a form of repetition identifiable in the work of both authors – as a deliberate narrative strategy adopted by both authors to actualise the desired semantic tearing concordant with their aesthetic praxes in English.
Theoretical Study of Interhemispheric Electron Bouncing Within Pulsating Aurora
Authors: Khazanov George V. , Chu Mike , Samara Marilia , Michell Robert G.
Published: May 2023

Wave‐particle interaction processes in the equatorial magnetosphere initiate time‐dependent electron precipitation in the pulsating aurora. These electrons enter loss‐cone and bounce between the two magnetically conjugate hemispheres, collide with the atmospheric constituents, and introduce additional time scales in electron precipitation dynamics. In this letter we present preliminary results of pulsating aurora formation using the time‐dependent SuperThermal Electron Transport code, which considers the magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐atmosphere energy coupling between the two magnetically conjugate regions and discuss their contribution to the peculiarities of electron distribution function formation within the pulsating aurora.
Trends and prospects in mitochondrial genome editing
Authors: Phan Hong Thi Lam , Lee Hyunji , Kim Kyoungmi
Published: May 2023

Mitochondria are of fundamental importance in programmed cell death, cellular metabolism, and intracellular calcium concentration modulation, and inheritable mitochondrial disorders via mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation cause several diseases in various organs and systems. Nevertheless, mtDNA editing, which plays an essential role in the treatment of mitochondrial disorders, still faces several challenges. Recently, programmable editing tools for mtDNA base editing, such as cytosine base editors derived from DddA (DdCBEs), transcription activator-like effector (TALE)-linked deaminase (TALED), and zinc finger deaminase (ZFD), have emerged with considerable potential for correcting pathogenic mtDNA variants. In this review, we depict recent advances in the field, including structural biology and repair mechanisms, and discuss the prospects of using base editing tools on mtDNA to broaden insight into their medical applicability for treating mitochondrial diseases.
Candesartan, an angiotensin-II receptor blocker, ameliorates insulin resistance and hepatosteatosis by reducing intracellular calcium overload and lipid accumulation
Authors: Lee Jin Wook , Gu Hyun-Oh , Jung Yunshin , Jung YunJae , Seo Seung-Yong , Hong Jeong-Hee , Hong In-Sun , Lee Dae Ho , Kim Ok-Hee , Oh Byung-Chul
Published: May 2023

Insulin resistance is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of several human diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Notably, insulin resistance and hypertension share common abnormalities, including increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and organelle dysfunction. Recently, we showed that excess intracellular Ca2+, a known pathogenic factor in hypertension, acts as a critical negative regulator of insulin signaling by forming Ca2+-phosphoinositides that prevent the membrane localization of AKT, a key serine/threonine kinase signaling molecule. Whether preventing intracellular Ca2+ overload improves insulin sensitivity, however, has not yet been investigated. Here, we show that the antihypertensive agent candesartan, compared with other angiotensin-II receptor blockers, has previously unrecognized beneficial effects on attenuating insulin resistance. We found that candesartan markedly reduced palmitic acid (PA)-induced intracellular Ca2+ overload and lipid accumulation by normalizing dysregulated store-operated channel (SOC)-mediated Ca2+ entry into cells, which alleviated PA-induced insulin resistance by promoting insulin-stimulated AKT membrane localization and increased the phosphorylation of AKT and its downstream substrates. As pharmacological approaches to attenuate intracellular Ca2+ overload in vivo, administering candesartan to obese mice successfully decreased insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, dyslipidemia, and tissue inflammation by inhibiting dysregulated SOC-mediated Ca2+ entry and ectopic lipid accumulation. The resulting alterations in the phosphorylation of key signaling molecules consequently alleviate impaired insulin signaling by increasing the postprandial membrane localization and phosphorylation of AKT. Thus, our findings provide robust evidence for the pleiotropic contribution of intracellular Ca2+ overload in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and suggest that there are viable approved drugs that can be repurposed for the treatment of insulin resistance and hypertension.
An MRTF-A–ZEB1–IRF9 axis contributes to fibroblast–myofibroblast transition and renal fibrosis
Authors: Zhao Qianwen , Shao Tinghui , Zhu Yuwen , Zong Gengjie , Zhang Junjie , Tang Shifan , Lin Yanshan , Ma Hongzhen , Jiang Zhifan , Xu Yong , Wu Xiaoyan , Zhang Tao
Published: May 2023

Myofibroblasts, characterized by the expression of the matricellular protein periostin (Postn), mediate the profibrogenic response during tissue repair and remodeling. Previous studies have demonstrated that systemic deficiency in myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) attenuates renal fibrosis in mice. In the present study, we investigated the myofibroblast-specific role of MRTF-A in renal fibrosis and the underlying mechanism. We report that myofibroblast-specific deletion of MRTF-A, achieved through crossbreeding Mrtfa-flox mice with Postn-CreERT2 mice, led to amelioration of renal fibrosis. RNA-seq identified zinc finger E-Box binding homeobox 1 (Zeb1) as a downstream target of MRTF-A in renal fibroblasts. MRTF-A interacts with TEA domain transcription factor 1 (TEAD1) to bind to the Zeb1 promoter and activate Zeb1 transcription. Zeb1 knockdown retarded the fibroblast–myofibroblast transition (FMyT) in vitro and dampened renal fibrosis in mice. Transcriptomic assays showed that Zeb1 might contribute to FMyT by repressing the transcription of interferon regulatory factor 9 (IRF9). IRF9 knockdown overcame the effect of Zeb1 depletion and promoted FMyT, whereas IRF9 overexpression antagonized TGF-β-induced FMyT. In conclusion, our data unveil a novel MRTF-A–Zeb1–IRF9 axis that can potentially contribute to fibroblast–myofibroblast transition and renal fibrosis. Screening for small-molecule compounds that target this axis may yield therapeutic options for the mollification of renal fibrosis.
Association between fatty acids and the risk of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in American adults: NHANES 2005−2016
Authors: Zhu Xiaoqiong , Chen Liu , Lin Jiansheng , Ba Mingqin , Liao Junqiu , Zhang Ping , Zhao Cunxi
Published: May 2023

Background

Fatty acids (FAs) play a major role in regulating insulin sensitivity. However, owing to dietary quantitative tools, it has been challenging to study the dietary FAs in previous studies. There is a lack of knowledge regarding the associations between dietary FAs and the risk of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

Dietary FAs, adjustment of variables including age, sex, race, educational level, poverty to income ratio, body mass index, smoking, hypertension, physical activity, and diabetes data were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2016. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the associations between FA intake and the risk of IGT and T2DM.

Results

This serial cross-sectional study included 9082 samples. After adjusting all the variables, a negative correlation was observed between total saturated FA and the risk of IGT (OR = 0.991, 95% (CI): 0.985–0.998, P = 0.024). Total FA at quintile 4 was negatively correlated with T2DM (OR = 0.714, 95% CI: 0.532–0.959, P = 0.025) compared with quintile 1. Factor analysis identified four factors of which F4 was negatively associated with the risk of T2DM (OR = 0.824, 95% CI: 0.715–0.949, P = 0.029). Based on this factor, we identified an unsaturated FA signature (n = 4 FAs, including octadecenoic acid (18:1), octadecadienoic acid (18:2), octadecatrienoic acid (18:3), and eicosenoic acid (20:1)).

Conclusions

Several unsaturated FAs with high proportions in natural oils may reduce the risk of T2DM.
Quantum anomalous hall effect in collinear antiferromagnetism
Authors: Guo Peng-Jie , Liu Zheng-Xin , Lu Zhong-Yi
Published: May 2023

The two-dimensional Quantum Hall effect with no external magnetic field is called the Quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect. So far, experimentally realized QAH insulators all exhibit ferromagnetic order and the QAH effect only occurs at very low temperatures. On the other hand, up to now the QAH effect in collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials has never been reported and the corresponding mechanism has never been proposed. In this work, we realize the QAH effect by proposing a four-band lattice model with static AFM order, which indicates that the QAH effect can be found in AFM materials. Then, as a prototype, we demonstrate that a monolayer CrO can be switched from an AFM Weyl semimetal to an AFM QAH insulator by applying strain, based on symmetry analysis and the first-principles electronic structure calculations. Our work not only proposes a scenario to search for QAH insulators in materials, but also reveals a way to considerably increase the critical temperature of the QAH phase.
Accelerating material design with the generative toolkit for scientific discovery
Authors: Manica Matteo , Born Jannis , Cadow Joris , Christofidellis Dimitrios , Dave Ashish , Clarke Dean , Teukam Yves Gaetan Nana , Giannone Giorgio , Hoffman Samuel C. , Buchan Matthew , Chenthamarakshan Vijil , Donovan Timothy , Hsu Hsiang Han , Zipoli Federico , Schilter Oliver , Kishimoto Akihiro , Hamada Lisa , Padhi Inkit , Wehden Karl , McHugh Lauren , Khrabrov Alexy , Das Payel , Takeda Seiji , Smith John R.
Published: May 2023

With the growing availability of data within various scientific domains, generative models hold enormous potential to accelerate scientific discovery. They harness powerful representations learned from datasets to speed up the formulation of novel hypotheses with the potential to impact material discovery broadly. We present the Generative Toolkit for Scientific Discovery (GT4SD). This extensible open-source library enables scientists, developers, and researchers to train and use state-of-the-art generative models to accelerate scientific discovery focused on organic material design.
Active cell divisions generate fourfold orientationally ordered phase in living tissue
Authors: Cislo Dillon J. , Yang Fengshuo , Qin Haodong , Pavlopoulos Anastasios , Bowick Mark J. , Streichan Sebastian J.
Published: May 2023

Morphogenesis, the process through which genes generate form, establishes tissue-scale order as a template for constructing the complex shapes of the body plan. The extensive growth required to build these ordered substrates is fuelled by cell proliferation, which, naively, should destroy order. Understanding how active morphogenetic mechanisms couple cellular and mechanical processes to generate order—rather than annihilate it—remains an outstanding question in animal development. We show that cell divisions are the primary drivers of tissue flow, leading to a fourfold orientationally ordered phase. Waves of anisotropic cell proliferation propagate across the embryo with precise patterning. Defects introduced into the nascent lattice by cell divisions are moved out of the tissue bulk towards the boundary by subsequent divisions. Specific cell proliferation rates and orientations enable cell divisions to organize rather than fluidize the tissue. We observe this using live imaging and tissue cartography to analyse the dynamics of fourfold tissue ordering in the trunk segmental ectoderm of the crustaceanParhyale hawaiensisbeginning 72 h after egg lay. The result is a robust, active mechanism for generating global orientational order in a non-equilibrium system that sets the stage for the subsequent development of shape and form.
Conserved transcriptional connectivity of regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment informs new combination cancer therapy strategies
Authors: Glasner Ariella , Rose Samuel A. , Sharma Roshan , Gudjonson Herman , Chu Tinyi , Green Jesse A. , Rampersaud Sham , Valdez Izabella K. , Andretta Emma S. , Dhillon Bahawar S. , Schizas Michail , Dikiy Stanislav , Mendoza Alejandra , Hu Wei , Wang Zhong-Min , Chaudhary Ojasvi , Xu Tianhao , Mazutis Linas , Rizzuto Gabrielle , Quintanal-Villalonga Alvaro , Manoj Parvathy , de Stanchina Elisa , Rudin Charles M. , Pe’er Dana , Rudensky Alexander Y.
Published: May 2023

While regulatory T (Treg) cells are traditionally viewed as professional suppressors of antigen presenting cells and effector T cells in both autoimmunity and cancer, recent findings of distinct Treg cell functions in tissue maintenance suggest that their regulatory purview extends to a wider range of cells and is broader than previously assumed. To elucidate tumoral Treg cell ‘connectivity’ to diverse tumor-supporting accessory cell types, we explored immediate early changes in their single-cell transcriptomes upon punctual Treg cell depletion in experimental lung cancer and injury-induced inflammation. Before any notable T cell activation and inflammation, fibroblasts, endothelial and myeloid cells exhibited pronounced changes in their gene expression in both cancer and injury settings. Factor analysis revealed shared Treg cell-dependent gene programs, foremost, prominent upregulation of VEGF and CCR2 signaling-related genes upon Treg cell deprivation in either setting, as well as in Treg cell-poor versus Treg cell-rich human lung adenocarcinomas. Accordingly, punctual Treg cell depletion combined with short-term VEGF blockade showed markedly improved control of PD-1 blockade-resistant lung adenocarcinoma progression in mice compared to the corresponding monotherapies, highlighting a promising factor-based querying approach to elucidating new rational combination treatments of solid organ cancers.
Laser cooling with intermediate state of spin–orbit coupling of LuF molecule
Authors: El-Kork N. , AlMasri Alwan A. , Abu El Kher N. , Assaf J. , Ayari T. , Alhseinat E. , Korek M.
Published: May 2023

This work presents a theoretical study of the laser cooling feasibility of the molecule LuF, in the fine structure level of approximation. An ab-initio complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF)/MRCI with Davidson correction calculation has been done in the Λ(±) and Ω(±) representations. The corresponding adiabatic potential energy curves and spectroscopic parameters have been investigated for the low-lying electronic states. The calculated values of the internuclear distances of the X3Σ0+ and (1)3Π0+ states show the candidacy of the molecule LuF for direct laser cooling. Since the existence of the intermediate (1)3Δ1 state cannot be ignored, the investigation has been done by taking into consideration the two transitions (1)3Π0+−(1)3Δ1 and (1)3Π0+ −X3Σ0+. The calculation of the Franck–Condon factors, the radiative lifetimes, the total branching ratio, the slowing distance, and the laser cooling scheme study prove that the molecule LuF is a good candidate for Doppler laser cooling.
The Mc4r gene is responsible for the development of experimentally induced testicular teratomas
Authors: Seki Syunsuke , Ohura Kaoru , Miyazaki Takehiro , Naser Abdullah An , Takabayashi Shuji , Tsutsumi Eisei , Tokumoto Toshinobu
Published: May 2023

Teratomas in mice, composed of different tissue types, are derived from primordial germ cells in the fetal gonads. Previously, we identified a locus responsible for experimental testicular teratoma (ETT) formation on chromosome 18, referred to as ett1. The strongest candidate sequence in the ett1 locus was found to be a missense mutation in the melanocortin 4 receptor (Mc4r), Mc4rG25S. We established a strain with a point mutation in the Mc4r gene in the ETT-nonsusceptible LT strain, called LT- Mc4rG25S, by genome editing. Surprisingly, highly developed ovarian teratomas (OTs), rather than testicular teratomas, appeared in the LT-Mc4rG25S strain. The results demonstrated that Mc4r is also one of the genes responsible for OT formation and suggested that missense mutations in Mc4r promote teratoma formation in both sexes. In this study, we performed ETT experiments in different host–graft combinations of the LT-Mc4rG25S and LT strains. Furthermore, the expression of MC4R in germ cells in the testis was demonstrated. Expression of Mc4r in testis was also confirmed by RT-PCR. The results demonstrated that MC4R is expressed in germ cells in the testis and that a point mutation in the Mc4r gene is responsible for ETT formation.
Nonlinear stability of two dusty magnetic liquids surrounded via a cylindrical surface: impact of mass and heat spread
Authors: Moatimid Galal M. , Mostafa D. M.
Published: May 2023

The current article examines a nonlinear axisymmetric streaming flow obeying the Rivlin–Ericksen viscoelastic model and overloaded by suspended dust particles. The fluids are separated by an infinite vertical cylindrical interface. A uniform axial magnetic field as well as mass and heat transmission (MHT) act everywhere the cylindrical flows. For the sake of simplicity, the viscous potential theory (VPT) is adopted to ease the analysis. The study finds its significance in wastewater treatment, petroleum transport as well as various practical engineering applications. The methodology of the nonlinear approach is conditional primarily on utilizing the linear fundamental equations of motion along with the appropriate nonlinear applicable boundary conditions (BCs). A dimensionless procedure reveals a group of physical dimensionless numerals. The linear stability requirements are estimated by means of the Routh–Hurwitz statement. The application of Taylor’s theory with the multiple time scales provides a Ginzburg–Landau equation, which regulates the nonlinear stability criterion. Therefore, the theoretical nonlinear stability standards are determined. A collection of graphs is drawn throughout the linear as well as the nonlinear approaches. In light of the Homotopy perturbation method (HPM), an estimated uniform solution to the surface displacement is anticipated. This solution is verified by means of a numerical approach. The influence of different natural factors on the stability configuration is addressed. When the density number of the suspended inner dust particles is less than the density number of the suspended outer dust particles, and vice versa, it is found that the structure is reflected to be stable. Furthermore, as the pure outer viscosity of the liquid increases, the stable range contracts, this means that this parameter has a destabilizing effect. Additionally, the magnetic field and the transfer of heat don’t affect the nature of viscoelasticity.
Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriage in longitudinally monitored incident infections is associated with duration of infection and human host factors
Authors: Andolina Chiara , Ramjith Jordache , Rek John , Lanke Kjerstin , Okoth Joseph , Grignard Lynn , Arinaitwe Emmanuel , Briggs Jessica , Bailey Jeffrey , Aydemir Ozkan , Kamya Moses R. , Greenhouse Bryan , Dorsey Grant , Staedke Sarah G. , Drakeley Chris , Jonker Marianne , Bousema Teun
Published: May 2023

Malaria transmission depends on the presence of Plasmodium gametocytes that are the only parasite life stage that can infect mosquitoes. Gametocyte production varies between infections and over the course of infections. Infection duration is highly important for gametocyte production but poorly quantified. Between 2017 and 2019 an all-age cohort of individuals from Tororo, eastern Uganda was followed by continuous passive and routine assessments. We longitudinally monitored 104 incident infections from 98 individuals who were sampled once every 28 days and on any day of symptoms. Among infections that lasted ≥ 3 months, gametocyte appearance was near-universal with 96% of infections having detectable gametocytes prior to clearance. However, most infections were of much shorter duration; 55.7% of asymptomatic infections were detected only once. When considering all asymptomatic infections, regardless of their duration, only 36.3% had detectable gametocytes on at least one time-point prior to parasite clearance. Infections in individuals with sickle-cell trait (HbAS) were more likely to have gametocytes detected (Hazard Rate (HR) = 2.68, 95% CI 1.12, 6.38; p = 0.0231) and had gametocytes detected at higher densities (Density Ratio (DR) = 9.19, 95% CI 2.79, 30.23; p = 0.0002) compared to infections in wildtype (HbAA) individuals. Our findings suggest that a large proportion of incident infections is too short in duration and of too low density to contribute to onward transmission.
Toward surface defect detection in electronics manufacturing by an accurate and lightweight YOLO-style object detector
Authors: Wang Jyunrong , Dai Huafeng , Chen Taogen , Liu Hao , Zhang Xuegang , Zhong Quan , Lu Rongsheng
Published: May 2023

In electronics manufacturing, surface defect detection is very important for product quality control, and defective products can cause severe customer complaints. At the same time, in the manufacturing process, the cycle time of each product is usually very short. Furthermore, high-resolution input images from high-resolution industrial cameras are necessary to meet the requirements for high quality control standards. Hence, how to design an accurate object detector with real-time inference speed that can accept high-resolution input is an important task. In this work, an accurate YOLO-style object detector was designed, ATT-YOLO, which uses only one self-attention module, many-scale feature extraction and integration in the backbone and feature pyramid, and an improved auto-anchor design to address this problem. There are few datasets for surface detection in electronics manufacturing. Hence, we curated a dataset consisting of 14,478 laptop surface defects, on which ATT-YOLO achieved 92.8% mAP0.5 for the binary-class object detection task. We also further verified our design on the COCO benchmark dataset. Considering both computation costs and the performance of object detectors, ATT-YOLO outperforms several state-of-the-art and lightweight object detectors on the COCO dataset. It achieves a 44.9% mAP score and 21.8 GFLOPs, which is better than the compared models including YOLOv8-small (44.9%, 28.6G), YOLOv7-tiny-SiLU (38.7%, 13.8G), YOLOv6-small (43.1%, 44.2G), pp-YOLOE-small (42.7%, 17.4G), YOLOX-small (39.6%, 26.8G), and YOLOv5-small (36.7%, 17.2G). We hope that this work can serve as a useful reference for the utilization of attention-based networks in real-world situations.
Machine learning and statistical classification of birdsong link vocal acoustic features with phylogeny
Authors: Rivera Moises , Edwards Jacob A. , Hauber Mark E. , Woolley Sarah M. N.
Published: May 2023

Birdsong is a longstanding model system for studying evolution and biodiversity. Here, we collected and analyzed high quality song recordings from seven species in the familyEstrildidae. We measured the acoustic features of syllables and then used dimensionality reduction and machine learning classifiers to identify features that accurately assigned syllables to species. Species differences were captured by the first 3 principal components, corresponding to basic frequency, power distribution, and spectrotemporal features. We then identified the measured features underlying classification accuracy. We found that fundamental frequency, mean frequency, spectral flatness, and syllable duration were the most informative features for species identification. Next, we tested whether specific acoustic features of species’ songs predicted phylogenetic distance. We found significant phylogenetic signal in syllable frequency features, but not in power distribution or spectrotemporal features. Results suggest that frequency features are more constrained by species’ genetics than are other features, and are the best signal features for identifying species from song recordings. The absence of phylogenetic signal in power distribution and spectrotemporal features suggests that these song features are labile, reflecting learning processes and individual recognition.
Characterization of sensitivity of optical fiber cables to acoustic vibrations
Authors: Dejdar Petr , Mokry Ondrej , Cizek Martin , Rajmic Pavel , Munster Petr , Schimmel Jiri , Pravdova Lenka , Horvath Tomas , Cip Ondrej
Published: May 2023

Fiber optic infrastructure is essential in the transmission of data of all kinds, both for the long haul and shorter distances in cities. Optical fibers are also preferred for data infrastructures inside buildings, especially in highly secured organizations and government facilities. This paper focuses on a reference measurement and analysis of optical fiber cables sensitivity to acoustic waves. Measurement was carried out in an anechoic chamber to ensure stable conditions of acoustic pressure in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The frequency response, the signal-to-noise ratio per frequency, and the Speech Transmission Index are evaluated for various types of optical fiber cables and different ceiling tiles, followed by their comparison. The influence of the means of fixing the cable is also studied. The results prove that optical fiber-based infrastructure in buildings can be exploited as a sensitive microphone.
An origami-based colorimetric sensor for detection of hydrogen peroxide and glucose using sericin capped silver nanoparticles
Authors: Mirzaei Younes , Gholami Ali , Sheini Azarmidokht , Bordbar Mohammad Mahdi
Published: May 2023

The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) measurement is considered highly important in industrial wastewater quality assessment, environmental protection, and disease detection. Here, a simple high-performance paper-based sensor is proposed for rapid and in situ detection of H2O2. To this end, 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine is embedded in the sensor to act as a color indicator, whose reaction with hydrogen peroxide is catalyzed by a silver nanozyme modified by sericin. The result of the reaction clarified by the appearance of blue color in the sensor detection zone is received by a portable scanner, while also calculating its intensity by image analysis software. This method is sensitive to hydrogen peroxide in the concentration range of 0.5‒240 mg/dL, providing a detection limit of 0.15 mg/dL. The ability of the sensor to determine glucose is also evaluated by adding a layer containing glucose oxidase enzyme to the sensor structure. A desirable response is obtained in the range of 1.0‒160 mg/dL, together with a detection limit of 0.37 mg/dL. Accordingly, the proposed sensor shows satisfactory results compared to clinical methods for monitoring the amount of glucose in biological samples such as serum and saliva.
Adenylyl cyclase 6 plays a minor role in the mouse inner ear and retina
Authors: Mathur Pranav Dinesh , Zou Junhuang , Neiswanger Grace , Zhu Daniel , Wang Yong , Almishaal Ali A. , Vashist Deepti , Hammond H. Kirk , Park Albert H. , Yang Jun
Published: May 2023

Adenylyl cyclase 6 (AC6) synthesizes second messenger cAMP in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling. In cochlear hair cells, AC6 distribution relies on an adhesion GPCR, ADGRV1, which is associated with Usher syndrome (USH), a condition of combined hearing and vision loss. ADGRV1 is a component of the USH type 2 (USH2) protein complex in hair cells and photoreceptors. However, the role of AC6 in the inner ear and retina has not been explored. Here, we found that AC6 distribution in hair cells depends on the USH2 protein complex integrity. Several known AC6 regulators and effectors, which were previously reported to participate in ADGRV1 signaling in vitro, are localized to the stereociliary compartments that overlap with AC6 distribution in hair cells. In young AC6 knockout (Adcy6−/−) mice, the activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, but not Akt kinase, is altered in cochleas, while both kinases are normal in vestibular organs. Adult Adcy6−/− mice however exhibit normal hearing function. AC6 is expressed in mouse retinas but rarely in photoreceptors. Adcy6−/− mice have slightly enhanced photopic but normal scotopic vision. Therefore, AC6 may participate in the ADGRV1 signaling in hair cells but AC6 is not essential for cochlear and retinal development and maintenance.
Factors predicting medication adherence among Omani patients with chronic diseases through a multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors: Al-Noumani Huda , Alharrasi Maryam , Lazarus Eilean Rathinasamy , Panchatcharam Sathiya M.
Published: May 2023

Management of chronic diseases is complex and requires a long-term commitment to therapeutic medications. However, medication adherence is suboptimal. There is limited understanding of factors predicting medication adherence in chronic diseases in Oman. This study aimed to examine predictors of medication adherence (i.e. patient clinical and demographic data, patient-physician relationship, health literacy, social support) among Omani patients with chronic diseases. This study used a cross-sectional correlation design. Data were collected from 800 participants using convenience sampling between December 2019 and April 2020. Arabic versions of the Brief Health Literacy Screening tool, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire, and Adherence in Chronic Disease Scale were used to measure study variables. Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlations, and multivariate linear regression were used for analysis. The study found that factors such as the patient-physician relationship, social support, disease duration, employment status, and medication frequency significantly predicted medication adherence. Medication adherence was higher among those who were unemployed, had a better patient-physician relationship, and greater social support. However, medication adherence was lower with longer disease duration and higher daily medication frequency. Additionally, medication adherence was positively associated with perceived social support and the patient-physician relationship, but not with health literacy. In conclusion, the study reveals that patient characteristics, social support, and patient-physician relationships are key factors in predicting medication adherence in patients with chronic diseases in the Middle East. It emphasizes the importance of improving these aspects, considering factors like employment status, disease duration, and medication frequency, and enhancing healthcare provider-patient relationships and social support systems to boost adherence.
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is capable of precise differentiation between re-dyed hair samples
Authors: Higgins Samantha , Kurouski Dmitry
Published: May 2023

Scalp hairs are readily present at most crime scenes because an average person sheds around 100 hairs a day. Forensic experts analyze hair found at crime scenes to identify suspects involved in a crime. Many people color their hair on a regular basis. Therefore, confirmatory analysis of hair colorants can be extremely useful in forensic investigation of hair evidence. However, most currently available methods for analysis of hair colorants are invasive, destructive, or not reliable. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a minimally invasive, fast, and highly accurate technique that can be used to identify colorants present on hair. SERS is based on 106–108 enhancement of Raman scattering from molecules present in the close proximity to noble metal nanostructures. In this study, we investigate the extent to which SERS can be used to reveal coloration history of hair. We found that SERS enables nearly 100% identification of dyes of different color if those were applied on hair in the sequential order. The same accuracy was observed for colorants of different brand and type. Furthermore, SERS was capable of revealing the order in which two colorants were applied on hair. Finally, we demonstrated that SERS could be used to reveal hair coloration history if two randomly selected dyes of different color, brand and type were used to color the hair. These findings facilitate the need for forensic experts to account for hair that has been redyed and can be identified against a library of the same colorant combinations.