bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of risk areas for avian influenza outbreaks in domestic poultry in Mali using the GIS-MCDA approach
Authors: Sanogo Idrissa Nonmon , Fusade-Boyer Maxime , Molia Sophie , Koita Ousmane A. , Camus Christelle , Ducatez Mariette F.
Published: December 2024

Mali is a country where little information is known about the circulation of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in poultry. Implementing risk-based surveillance strategies would allow early detection and rapid control of AIVs outbreaks in the country. In this study, we implemented a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method coupled with geographic information systems (GIS) to identify risk areas for AIVs occurrence in domestic poultry in Mali. Five risk factors associated with AIVs occurrence were identified from the literature, and their relative weights were determined using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Spatial data were collected for each risk factor and processed to produce risk maps for AIVs outbreaks using a weighted linear combination (WLC). We identified the southeast regions (Bamako and Sikasso) and the central region (Mopti) as areas with the highest risk of AIVs occurrence. Conversely, northern regions were considered low-risk areas. The risk areas agree with the location of HPAI outbreaks in Mali. This study provides the first risk map using the GIS-MCDA approach to identify risk areas for AIVs occurrence in Mali. It should provide a basis for designing risk-based and more cost-effective surveillance strategies for the early detection of avian influenza outbreaks in Mali.
Sixty-year trends in sulphur dioxide emissions from anthropogenic ground-based sources in Antarctica
Authors: Kakareka Sergey
Published: December 2024

Knowledge of trends of pollutants released into the environment is very important for interpreting the observed trends in pollution of natural environments and forecasting their development. This article reconstructs for the first time a series of sulphur dioxide emissions from the main categories of land-based sources of emissions in Antarctica (diesel generators, heating systems, vehicles and waste incineration) over 60 years: from the beginning of the intensive construction of scientific stations in 1960 until 2019. The trends in the sulphur content of fuels and the dynamics of fuel consumption by the main categories of emission sources are taken into account. According to the estimates obtained, total emissions of sulphur dioxide in Antarctica varied in the range of 28.6–161.3 tons. This paper establishes that the greatest levels of sulphur dioxide emissions occurred in the late 1980s–beginning of the 1990s. In subsequent years, there was a rapid reduction in emissions, primarily due to a reduction of the sulphur content of fuels. The rates of reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions for different areas of Antarctica are also shown.
Bilinguals’ sensitivity to specificity and genericity: evidence from implicit and explicit knowledge
Authors: Hervé Coralie , Lawyer Laurel
Published: December 2024

The present paper investigates whether school-aged French-English bilingual children’s implicit and explicit knowledge of article use is affected by cross-linguistic influence (CLI) during online and offline sentence comprehension. The studies focus on the encoding of plural and mass nouns in specific and generic contexts. We also explore whether individual measures of oral proficiency, language exposure and age play a role in the children’s performance. Forty-three 8-to-10-year-old French-English bilingual children took part in a Self-Paced Reading task, a Grammaticality Judgement task and a Cloze test in their two languages. Overall, CLI was observed across tasks in English and French. These findings suggest that CLI can be bi-directional and tap into school-aged bilinguals’ implicit and explicit representations during sentence comprehension and production. The data also makes a new contribution to our understanding of the relative amount of language exposure, oral proficiency and age on CLI.
Equality and Non-Discrimination in Armed Conflict: Humanitarian and Human Rights Law in Practice
Authors: Dvaladze George
Published: December 2024

In this edition of the Review's “Beyond the Literature” series, we have invited George Dvaladze to introduce his recent book Equality and Non-Discrimination in Armed Conflict, before then posing a series of questions to Nelly Kamunde, Mona Rishmawi, Vanessa Murphy and Alexander Breitegger.

Nelly Kamunde is a lawyer in Kenya and has been working as an independent researcher, lecturer, and trainer with various institutions in international humanitarian law (IHL). Mona Rishmawi is the former Chief of the Rule of Law, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Vanessa Murphy is the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Legal Adviser responsible for conflict-related legal issues regarding gender, the protection of children and the protection of the environment. Alexander Breitegger is a Senior Legal Adviser at the ICRC's Thematic Legal Advice Unit; he focuses on IHL and persons with disabilities as part of his thematic files and provides support for the implementation of the ICRC Vision 2030 on Disability.

The Review team is grateful to all four discussants, and to George, for taking part in this engaging conversation.
Sleep value and sleep resilience are important dimensions of sleep health and we measured them: Methods for the Sleep Resilience and Variance in Sleep Valuation (SRVIV) study
Authors: Sherriff Dustin , Ward Levi , Calvin Danika , Klingonsmith Bryce , Kay Daniel B.
Published: December 2024

Sleep health is a multidimensional construct that is essential for general health and well-being. Sleep value, the amount of worth an individual places on their sleep, and sleep resilience, the ability to function emotionally, cognitively, and physically in the presence of sleep disturbances, are overlooked dimensions of sleep health. To study these sleep health dimensions, we developed the Sleep Valuation Item Bank 2.0, Values Inventory, Monetary Sleep Value Questionnaire, and Sleep Resilience Questionnaire. This paper describes the methods for the Sleep Resilience and Variance in Sleep Valuation (SRVIV) Study. The SRVIV study was conducted to explore the factor structure of sleep value and sleep resilience and determine how they relate to demographic, sleep, and psychological variables. This study resulted in an analysis sample of 455 participants who were recruited by a Qualtrics team and completed a Qualtrics survey consisting of demographic, anxiety, depression, and sleep-related questionnaires, in addition to sleep value and sleep resilience questionnaires. Adult participants were recruited throughout the continental United States and were predominately female (53%), white (82%), married (50%), and had an average age of 45.4 years. The data resulting from this study can be used to address important questions in the field of sleep psychology.
Connecting Global Water Agendas: From Wicked Problematization to Opportunities for Action
Authors: Howard B. C. , Buytaert W. , Krause S. , Hannah D. M.
Published: December 2024

Global water security is one of humanity's greatest challenges, yet it also represents an opportunity to catalyze transformative change. The very properties of water security that make it difficult to address also introduce potential for it to connect global agendas like climate change mitigation and adaptation planning and the sustainable development goals. We show that intergovernmental and scientific global agendas on water already embody this sentiment and highlight opportunities to better connect these agendas to accelerate action on water.
Flow and Deformation in Earth's Deepest Mantle: Insights From Geodynamic Modeling and Comparisons With Seismic Observations
Authors: Li Mingming , Wolf Jonathan , Garnero Edward , Long Maureen D.
Published: December 2024

The dynamics of Earth's D″ layer at the base of the mantle plays an essential role in Earth's thermal and chemical evolution. Mantle convection in D″ is thought to result in seismic anisotropy; therefore, observations of anisotropy may be used to infer lowermost mantle flow. However, the connections between mantle flow and seismic anisotropy in D″ remain ambiguous. Here, we calculate the present‐day mantle flow field in D″ using 3D global geodynamic models. We then compute strain, a measure of deformation, outside the two large‐low velocity provinces (LLVPs) and compare the distribution of strain with previous observations of anisotropy. We find that, on a global scale, D″ materials are advected toward the LLVPs. The strains of D″ materials generally increase with time along their paths toward the LLVPs and toward deeper depths, but regions far from LLVPs may develop relative high strain as well. Materials in D″ outside the LLVPs mostly undergo lateral stretching, with the stretching direction often aligning with mantle flow direction, especially in fast flow regions. In most models, the depth‐averaged strain in D″ is >0.5 outside the LLVPs, consistent with widespread observations of seismic anisotropy. Flow directions inferred from anisotropy observations often (but not always) align with predictions from geodynamic modeling calculations.
Simultaneous achieving negative photoconductivity response and volatile resistive switching in Cs2CoCl4 single crystals towards artificial optoelectronic synapse
Authors: Jiang Huifang , Ji Huifang , Ma Zhuangzhuang , Yang Dongwen , Ma Jingli , Zhang Mengyao , Li Xu , Wang Meng , Li Ying , Chen Xu , Wu Di , Li Xinjian , Shan Chongxin , Shi Zhifeng
Published: December 2024

The development of negative photoconductivity (NPC)-related devices is of great significance for numerous applications, such as optoelectronic detection, neuromorphic computing, and optoelectronic synapses. Here, an unusual but interesting NPC phenomenon in the novel cesium cobalt chlorine (Cs2CoCl4) single crystal-based optoelectronic devices is reported, which simultaneously possess volatile resistive switching (RS) memory behavior. Joint experiment−theory characterizations reveal that the NPC behavior is derived from the intrinsic vacancy defects of Cs2CoCl4, which could trap photogenerated charge carriers and produce an internal electric field opposite to the applied electric field. Such NPC effect enables an abnormal photodetection performance with a decrease in electrical conductivity to illumination. Also, a large specific detectivity of 2.7 × 1012 Jones and broadband NPC detection wavelength from 265 to 780 nm were achieved. In addition to the NPC response, the resulting devices demonstrate a volatile RS performance with a record-low electric field of 5 × 104 V m−1. By integrating the characteristics of electric-pulse enhancement from RS and light-pulse depression from NPC, an artificial optoelectronic synapse was successfully demonstrated, and based on the simulation of artificial neural network algorithm, the recognition application of handwritten digital images was realized. These pioneer findings are anticipated to contribute significantly to the practical advancement of metal halides in the fields of in-memory technologies and artificial intelligence.
Ocean warming drives immediate mass loss from calving glaciers in the high Arctic
Authors: Foss Ø. , Maton J. , Moholdt G. , Schmidt L. S. , Sutherland D. A. , Fer I. , Nilsen F. , Kohler J. , Sundfjord A.
Published: December 2024

Glaciers in the Arctic have lost considerable mass during the last two decades. About a third of the glaciers by area drains into the ocean, yet the mechanisms and drivers governing mass loss at glacier calving fronts are poorly constrained in part due to few long-term glacier-ocean observations. Here, we combine a detailed satellite-based record of calving front ablation for Austfonna, the largest ice cap on Svalbard, with in-situ ocean records from an offshore mooring and modelled freshwater runoff for the period 2018-2022. We show that submarine melting and calving occur almost exclusively in autumn for all types of outlet glaciers, even for the surging and fast-flowing glacier Storisstraumen. Ocean temperature controls the observed frontal ablation, whereas subglacial runoff of surface meltwater appears to have little direct impact on the total ablation. The seasonal warming of the offshore waters varies both in magnitude, depth and timing, suggesting a complex interplay between inflowing Atlantic-influenced water at depth and seasonally warmed surface water in the Barents Sea. The immediate response of frontal ablation to seasonal ocean warming suggests that marine-terminating glaciers in high Arctic regions exposed to Atlantification are prone to rapid changes that should be accounted for in future glacier projections.
Associations between pesticide use and rheumatoid arthritis among older farmers in the Agricultural Health Study
Authors: Parks Christine G. , Leyzarovich Darya , Hamra Ghassan B. , Costenbader Karen H. , Chen Dazhe , Hofmann Jonathan N. , Freeman Laura E. Beane , Sandler Dale P.
Published: December 2024

Pesticides and farming have been associated with increased rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk, but the role of specific pesticides remains unknown. We examined RA risk among licensed pesticide applicators (97% white male farmers), from North Carolina and Iowa, in the Agricultural Health Study, in relation to lifetime use of 45 pesticides reported at enrollment (1993–1997, updated 1999–2003). In 22,642 applicators ages ≥ 67 years with ≥ 24 months Fee for Service Medicare data (1999–2016), we identified 161 (0.7%) incident cases with ≥ 2 RA claims (including ≥ 1 by a rheumatologist), ≥ 30 days apart, after ≥ 12 months without RA claims. Relative risks (RR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated using log-binomial models adjusted for age, state, education, smoking, and correlated pesticides. Risk was elevated (RR > 1.5 or lower CI > 0.95) for use of nine pesticides: four insecticides [malathion (RR = 1.77;95%CI = 1.14–2.73), phorate (1.40;0.96–2.04), carbaryl (1.65;1.10–2.46), carbofuran (1.41;0.99–2.01)], four herbicides [alachlor (RR = 1.40;95%CI 0.99–1.98), metolachlor (1.57;1.11–2.23), S-Ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate (1.57;1.00-2.44), metribuzin (1.45; 1.01, 2.08)], and one fungicide [benomyl (1.56;0.99–2.44)]. Exposure-response was seen for greater intensity-weighted lifetime days use of malathion and carbofuran (p-trends = 0.03 and 0.05). Some specific pesticides, including several currently approved and commonly used in agricultural, public health, or residential settings may increase RA risk among older adults.
Comprehensive copy number analysis of spinal muscular atrophy among the Iranian population
Authors: Khanbazi Ali , Beheshtian Maryam , Azad Maryam , Akbari Kelishomi Masoumeh , Afroozan Fariba , Fatehi Fatemeh , Noudehi Khadijeh , Zamanian Najafabadi Shima , Omrani Mohammadamin , Habibi Haleh , Taghdiri Maryam , Abdi Rad Isa , Nafissi Shahriar , Jankhah Aria , Yazdan Hilda , Daneshmand Parvaneh , Saberi Seyed Hosseinali , Kahrizi Kimia , Kariminejad Ariana , Najmabadi Hossein
Published: December 2024

Copy number variations in the SMN1 gene on chromosome 5 are the primary cause of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) disease, characterized by muscle weakness and degeneration due to impaired alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord. To obtain a comprehensive molecular understanding of the SMA, including carriers, silent carriers, and patients in the Iranian population, we analyzed data from 5224 individuals referred to Kariminejad - Najmabadi Pathology & Genetics Center, Tehran, Iran, between 2006 and 2023 using MLPA and quantitative RT-PCR methods. The carrier frequency of SMA was estimated to be 5.55%. Furthermore, 3.06% of SMA parents (n = 24) had two copies of the SMN1 gene. Among 725 patients, those with an earlier onset of SMA were more likely to have two copies of the SMN2 gene (46.45%) and no copies of the NAIP gene (49.36%). Among the 654 fetal samples screened for SMA, 22.33% were found to be affected, while 3.46% of their parents tested normal. These findings are valuable for genetic counseling, carrier screening, and prenatal diagnosis of SMA in Iran. Furthermore, they underscore the importance of CNV analysis of SMN1, SMN2, and NAIP genes for accurate diagnosis and prognosis of SMA.
Photon-counting in dual-contrast-enhanced computed tomography: a proof-of-concept quantitative biomechanical assessment of articular cartilage
Authors: Paakkari Petri , Inkinen Satu I. , Mohammadi Ali , Nieminen Miika T. , Joenathan Anisha , Grinstaff Mark W. , Töyräs Juha , Mäkelä Janne T. A. , Honkanen Juuso T. J.
Published: December 2024

This proof-of-concept study explores quantitative imaging of articular cartilage using photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT) with a dual-contrast agent approach, comparing it to clinical dual-energy CT (DECT). The diffusion of cationic iodinated CA4 + and non-ionic gadolinium-based gadoteridol contrast agents into ex vivo bovine medial tibial plateau cartilage was tracked over 72 h. Continuous maps of the contrast agents’ diffusion were created, and correlations with biomechanical indentation parameters (equilibrium and instantaneous moduli, and relaxation time constants) were examined at 28 specific locations. Cartilage at each location was analyzed as full-thickness to ensure a fair comparison, and calibration-based material decomposition was employed for concentration estimation. Both DECT and PCD-CT exhibit strong correlations between CA4 + content and biomechanical parameters, with PCD-CT showing superior significance, especially at later time points. DECT lacks significant correlations with gadoteridol-related parameters, while PCD-CT identifies noteworthy correlations between gadoteridol diffusion and biomechanical parameters. In summary, the experimental PCD-CT setup demonstrates superior accuracy and sensitivity in concentration estimation, suggesting its potential as a more effective tool for quantitatively assessing articular cartilage condition compared to a conventional clinical DECT scanner.
A novel deep unsupervised approach for super-resolution of remote sensing hyperspectral image using gompertz-function convergence war accelerometric-optimization generative adversarial network (GF-CWAO-GAN)
Authors: Deepthi K. , Shastry Aditya K. , Naresh E.
Published: December 2024

Hyperspectral remote sensing images obtained from cameras are characterized by high-dimensions and low quality, which makes them unfavorable for various analytics purposes. This is due to the presence of visible and invisible frequencies of the reflected light making it poorly reveal the spectral signatures of the image. Visual communication advancement has paved the need for Image Super-Resolution (SR) which recovers high-resolution images from low-resolution images. Several works were carried out earlier on image SR using variants of supervised and unsupervised models that still lack accuracy. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised learning model titled Gompertz Function–based Convergence War Accelerometric Optimization–GAN framework for generating of High-Resolution (HR) images. The framework comprises a pre-processing stage, where the incoming Low-Resolution (LR) image is preprocessed for noise removal by applying Shannon-Gaussian Filter (S-GF). Following is the Gradient Domain Approach based Tone-Mapping (TM). Skew correction is done to remove distortion and maintain original resolution that may change during TM stage. The next stage comprises the boundary and edge enhancement of the resulting preprocessed image generated by the method of Inverse Gradient Mapping (IGM) followed by patch extraction to extract minute low-frequency information from the resulting boundary and edge-enhanced image. The contrast of the enhanced patches is improved by removing blurriness effect. The preprocessed image patches are then fed into the Gompertz Function-based Convergence War Accelerometric Optimization – GAN for feature mapping on the trained SR Image features that are clustered using Krzanowski and Li- Kantorovich Metric-K-Means clustering Algorithm (KL-KM-KMA) for effective generation of SR image. The developed model is validated for both qualitative and quantitative measurements. Comparisons are made with several other state-of -the-art methods for accuracy of 98.05%, precision of 97.98%, inception score of 8.71, Fréchet Inception Distance of 36.4 with reduced clustering and training time proving the efficiency of the proposed model.
Immunoinformatics design of a multi-epitope vaccine for Chlamydia trachomatis major outer membrane proteins
Authors: Shetty Seema , Dash Swagatika , Kumar Avinash , Vishwanath Shashidhar , Kini Suvarna G. , Brand Angela
Published: December 2024

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) remains a significant infectious cause of blindness and sexually transmitted infections worldwide. The objective and novelty of this study lie in using different serovars of CT to design a broad-spectrum multi-epitope vaccine that might confer immunity against different CT infections. As the major outer membrane protein in CT has good immunodominance properties and high conservation and also determines the several serotypes of CT, it is selected as an antibody target in this study. T-cell and B-cell epitopes from serovars A, B, D, E, L1, and L2 were predicted and combined into a single construct by incorporating adjuvants and linkers to enhance immunogenicity and stability. Physicochemical characterization confirmed the constructed vaccine’s anti-allergic, immunogenicity, and thermostable characteristics, followed by structural modeling to refine its 3D configuration. The 3D model structure of the vaccine was validated through the Ramachandran plot and ProSA z-score. Molecular docking studies of the vaccine demonstrated stable binding with toll-like receptor 3, along with molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations supporting the complex’s stability. In silico cloning has indicated a high potential for expression in Escherichia coli. Lastly, immune simulations revealed robust activation of B cells, cytotoxic T cells, and antigen-presenting cells, alongside significant production of IgM, IgG antibodies, and balanced Th1/Th2 cytokine response, which is crucial for effective immunity. These results suggest the multi-epitope vaccine could effectively induce comprehensive immune responses against CT, highlighting the need for further in vivo validation to advance this promising candidate toward clinical use.
Fluorinated covalent organic frameworks for visible-light driven CO2 reduction
Authors: Wang Wei-Jia , Li Bin , Gao Jing , Chen Kaihong
Published: December 2024

Fluorinated covalent organic frameworks (COFs) exhibited exceptional activity for visible-light-driven CO2 reduction to syngas with tunable product selectivity.
An oxide-promoted, self-supported Ni4Mo catalyst for high current density anion exchange membrane water electrolysis
Authors: Serban Ariana , Liu Meng-Ting , Chen Nanjun , Chen Hao Ming , Hu Xile
Published: December 2024

A highly efficient Ni4Mo–MoOx catalyst enables anionic exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolyzers to operate at 3 A cm−2 with a voltage of only about 2 V.
Design, synthesis and antiviral evaluation of triazole-linked 7-hydroxycoumarin–monoterpene conjugates as inhibitors of RSV replication
Authors: Tsypyshev Dmitry O. , Klabukov Artem M. , Razgulaeva Daria N. , Galochkina Anastasia V. , Shtro Anna A. , Borisevich Sophia S. , Khomenko Tatyana M. , Volcho Konstantin P. , Komarova Nina I. , Salakhutdinov Nariman F.
Published: December 2024

New triazole-linked coumarin–monoterpene hybrids are effective in inhibiting the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replication.
Flexible and stable piezoelectric nanogenerators based on monoclinic phase CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals
Authors: Xu Jingkun , Zhou Yechen , Jiang Hao , Zhu Kaiyan , Wan Ying , Lai Min , Xu Shuhong
Published: December 2024

Piezoelectric nanogenerators based on a composite of monoclinic phase CsPbBr3 nanocrystals and PDMS are demonstrated. A output voltage and current of up to 50 V and 5.5 μA are obtained under an applied force of 4.2 N with long-term stability.
Release characteristics of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter and its impact on Cr(vi) adsorption and reduction
Authors: Liu Hui , Wang Ying , Wang Shixu , Wu Jing , Wang Yulai
Published: December 2024

The roles of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter in the remediation of Cr-contaminated soil after biochar amendment in practice.
A core–shell structured design for enhanced supercapacitor performance: coating Ni(OH)2/Fe(OH)3 over NiMoO4 nanofibers
Authors: Qiu Shuang , Sun Zhaojun , Cang Ruibai , Zhang Mingyi
Published: December 2024

A core–shell structured NiMoO4@Ni(OH)2/Fe(OH)3 composite electrode exhibited enhanced supercapacitor performance.
Sluggish Li2O2 dissolution – a key to unlock high-capacity lithium–oxygen batteries
Authors: He Lu , Wang Shuo , Yu Fengjiao , Chen Yuhui
Published: December 2024

The kinetics of Li2O2 dissolution determine electrode discharge capacity and charging current. It dissolves via surface dissolution or bulk fragmentation, the latter being 100 times faster. Intermittent-desorption improved the discharge capacity.
Lattice oxygen insertion mechanism in CeO2-catalyzed reactions in water: nitrile hydration reaction
Authors: Endo Takaaki , Ikeda Tatsushi , Muraoka Koki , Kita Yusuke , Tamura Masazumi , Nakayama Akira
Published: December 2024

The reaction mechanism of hydration of 2-cyanopyridine to picolinamide in water over CeO2 catalysts is dissected using the DFT-MD simulations. It is demonstrated that the lattice oxygen atom is inserted into picolinamide.
Steric stabilization of colloidal UiO-66 nanocrystals with oleylammonium octadecylphosphonate
Authors: Park Sungho V. , Bhai Lakshmi , Lee Gahyun Annie , Park Ah-Hyung Alissa , Marbella Lauren E. , Owen Jonathan S.
Published: December 2024

Surface ligand exchange of toluene-dispersible UiO-66 nanocrystals suggests that these particles can be characterized and manipulated like a macromolecular complex.
Attitudes of Teachers, Students, and the Public Toward Stuttering in India: A Comparison
Authors: Veerabhadrappa Rakesh Chowkalli , Dhrruvakumar Shubhaganga , Manjunatha Chaithanyanayaka , Sulthana Hani , Maruthy Santosh , St. Louis Kenneth O.
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

People who stutter experience societal misconceptions and negative stereotypes due to cultural prejudices. The present study aimed to compare attitudes toward stuttering of Indian teachers, students, and members of the public and to further compare their attitudes to comparable samples regionally and internationally.

Method:

Five hundred eighteen adults completed the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes–Stuttering (POSHA-S), translated into Kannada, which was analyzed according to standard protocol. Summary and selected item scores were compared from samples of teachers (
n
= 125), students (
n
= 233), and the public (
n
= 160). Additionally, the scores were compared to those from South Asian samples and an international POSHA-S database.

Results:

Teachers in the current study had the most positive stuttering attitudes, followed by the public and then by students. The summary attitude scores obtained by all three groups were more positive attitudes compared to other South Asian samples and either similar to or slightly less positive than the international POSHA-S database average sample rating. Education and income were small but significant predictors of more—or less—positive attitudes, but gender, age, and familiarity with stuttering were not.

Conclusions:

While teachers demonstrated a greater understanding of stuttering compared to the public and students, the lack of understanding among the latter groups highlights the need for increased awareness and education about stuttering across various segments of society. Negative social reactions toward stuttering, observed in different cultural contexts, further emphasize the need for awareness about stuttering.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27855195
An Anechoic, High-Fidelity, Multidirectional Speech Corpus
Authors: Miller Margaret K. , Delaram Vahid , Trine Allison , Ananthanarayana Rohit M. , Buss Emily , Monson Brian B. , Stecker G. Christopher
Published: December 2024

Introduction:

We currently lack speech testing materials faithful to broader aspects of real-world auditory scenes such as speech directivity and extended high frequency (EHF; > 8 kHz) content that have demonstrable effects on speech perception. Here, we describe the development of a multidirectional, high-fidelity speech corpus using multichannel anechoic recordings that can be used for future studies of speech perception in complex environments by diverse listeners.

Design:

Fifteen male and 15 female talkers (21.3–60.5 years) recorded Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) Standard Sentence Test lists, digits 0–10, and a 2.5-min unscripted narrative. Recordings were made in an anechoic chamber with 17 free-field condenser microphones spanning 0°–180° azimuth angle around the talker using a 48 kHz sampling rate.

Results:

Recordings resulted in a large corpus containing four BKB lists, 10 digits, and narratives produced by 30 talkers, and an additional 17 BKB lists (21 total) produced by a subset of six talkers.

Conclusions:

The goal of this study was to create an anechoic, high-fidelity, multidirectional speech corpus using standard speech materials. More naturalistic narratives, useful for the creation of babble noise and speech maskers, were also recorded. A large group of 30 talkers permits testers to select speech materials based on talker characteristics relevant to a specific task. The resulting speech corpus allows for more diverse and precise speech recognition testing, including testing effects of speech directivity and EHF content. Recordings are publicly available.
Prescribed‐time event‐triggered formation control of heterogeneous multi‐agent system under actuator faults and external disturbances
Authors: Zheng Leyi , Zhou Yimin
Published: December 2024

In this article, the problem of the prescribed‐time formation control for the heterogeneous multi‐agent systems (MASs) under actuator faults and external disturbances with sampling‐data settings is discussed. A sufficient condition for the MASs to globally converge to a bounded neighborhood within a prescribed time is given, which can ensure the formation control performance of the MASs with actuator faults. Further, an event‐triggered communication mechanism based on the sampled data is designed to reduce the communication burden. Such a triggering mechanism allows for adjusting the triggering interval to a certain extent while ensuring that the Zeno phenomenon is excluded for each agent. To mitigate the impact of the actuator faults and external disturbances on the system formation control, an actuator fault estimator is designed along with a prescribed‐time state observer to estimate the state of each agent. Then an adaptive control strategy is developed so that the MASs can achieve the desired formation within a prescribed time under the actuator faults and external disturbances. Simulation results are performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Pulsating ultraluminous X-ray sources: Modeling the thermal emission and polarization properties
Authors: Conforti S. , Zampieri L. , Taverna R. , Turolla R. , Brice N. , Pintore F. , Israel G. L.
Published: December 2024

Context. Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are enigmatic sources first discovered in the 1980s in external galaxies. They are characterized by their extraordinarily high X-ray luminosity, which often exceeds 1040 erg s−1.

Aims. Our study aims to obtain more information about pulsating ULXs (PULXs), first of all, their viewing geometry, since it affects almost all the observables, such as the flux, the pulsed fraction, the polarization degree (PD), and polarization angle (PA).

Methods. We present a simplified model, which primarily describes the thermal emission from an accreting, highly magnetized neutron star, simulating the contributions of an accretion disk and an accretion envelope surrounding the star magnetosphere, both described by a multicolor blackbody. Numerical calculations are used to determine the flux, PD, and PA of the emitted radiation, considering various viewing geometries. The model predictions are then compared to the observed spectra of two PULXs, M51 ULX-7 and NGC 7793 P13.

Results. We identified the best fitting geometries for these sources, obtaining values of the pulsed fraction and the temperature at the inner radius of the disk compatible with those obtained from previous works. We also found that measuring the polarization observables can give considerable additional information on the source.
JWST ERS Program Q3D: The pitfalls of virial black hole mass constraints shown for a z ∼ 3 quasar with an ultramassive host
Authors: Bertemes C. , Wylezalek D. , Rupke D. S. N. , Zakamska N. L. , Veilleux S. , Beckmann B. , Vayner A. , Sankar S. , Ishikawa Y. , Diachenko N. , Liu W. , Chen Y.-C. , Seebeck J. , Lutz D. , Liu G.
Published: December 2024

We present observations with the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and Near-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), targeting the extremely red quasar J165202.64+172852.3 at z = 2.948 (dubbed J1652). As one of the most luminous quasars known to date, it drives powerful outflows and hosts a clumpy starburst, in the midst of several interacting companions. We estimated the black hole (BH) mass of the system based on the broad Hα and Hβ lines, as well as the broad Paβ emission in the infrared and Mg II in the ultraviolet. We recovered a very broad range of mass estimates, with individual constraints ranging between log MBH ∼ 9 and 10.2, which is extended further if we impose a uniform broad line region geometry at all wavelengths. The large spread may be caused by several factors: uncertainties on measurements (insufficient sensitivity to detect the broadest component of the faint Paschen β line, spectral blending, ambiguities in the broad or narrow component distinction, etc.), lack of virial equilibrium, and uncertainties on the luminosity-inferred size of the broad line region (BLR). The exotic nature of our target (luminous, starburst, powerful outflows, high accretion rate, and dusty centre) is another likely contribution to the large uncertainties. We broadly constrained the stellar mass of J1652 by fitting the spectral energy distribution, which suggests that the host is extremely massive, at ∼1012.1 M⊙, with a 1.1 dex uncertainty at > 1 dex above the characteristic mass of the Schechter fit to the z = 3 stellar mass function. Notably, J1652’s central BH might be interpreted as being either over-massive or in line with the BH mass–stellar mass relation, depending on the choice of assumptions. The recovered Eddington ratio varies accordingly, but it exceeds 10% in any case. We set our results into context by providing an extensive overview and discussion of recent literature results and their associated assumptions. Our findings provide an important demonstration of the uncertainties inherent in the virial BH mass estimates of individual objects, which are of particular relevance in the JWST era, given the increasing number of studies on rapidly accreting quasars at high redshift.
Gravitational wave memory imprints on the CMB from populations of massive black hole mergers
Authors: Zwick Lorenz , O’Neill David , Hendriks Kai , Kirkeberg Philip , Miravet-Tenés Miquel
Published: December 2024

Aims. Our aim is to showcase and characterise the rich phenomenology of temperature fluctuation patterns that are imprinted on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) by the gravitational wave memory (GWM) of massive black hole mergers.

Methods. We analysed both individual binaries as well as populations of binaries, distributed in local cosmological boxes at a given redshift.

Results. The magnitude of the temperature fluctuations scales primarily as a function of binary total mass and pattern angular scale, and accumulates as a random-walk process when populations of mergers are considered. Fluctuations of order ∼10−12 K are reached across scales of ∼1′ to ∼1° for realistic volumetric merger rates of 10−3 Mpc−3 Gyr−1, as is appropriate for massive galaxies at z = 1. We determined numerically that GWM temperature fluctuations result in a universal power spectrum with a scaling of P(k)∝k−2.7.

Conclusions. While not detectable given the limitations of current all-sky CMB surveys, our work explicitly shows how every black hole merger in the Universe left us its unique faint signature.
LOFAR Deep Fields: Probing the sub-mJy regime of polarized extragalactic sources in ELAIS-N1
Authors: Piras S. , Horellou C. , Conway J. E. , Thomasson M. , Shimwell T. W. , O’Sullivan S. P. , Carretti E. , Vacca V. , Bonafede A. , Prandoni I.
Published: December 2024

Context. Deep polarization surveys at low radio frequencies are key to cosmic magnetism studies: Larger catalogs of polarized extra-galactic sources and increased precision on Faraday rotation measures (RMs) make it possible to probe the magneto-ionic medium along the lines of sight of the sources and to construct denser RM grids. In a first paper, we presented a search for polarized sources in deep observations of the 25-square-degree area of the European Large Area ISO Survey-North 1 (ELAIS-N1) field with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) at 114.9-177.4 MHz.

Aims. In this paper, we investigate the properties of the polarized radio galaxies and use the catalog to produce an RM grid of the field.

Methods. After identifying the host galaxies and collecting redshift information, we characterized the radio galaxies in terms of their radio morphologies, rest-frame radio luminosities, and linear sizes. We calculated residual rotation measures (RRMs) by removing the Galactic RM and studied the variation in the RRMs with redshift and degree of polarization. We produced an RRM grid of the field and compared the positions of the polarized sources with those of galaxy clusters and superclusters.

Results. The radio galaxies show a variety of morphologies, including diffuse emission; Fanaroff Riley type II sources make up about half of the sample. Using available multiband catalogs, we found redshifts for the hosts of all polarized sources in the range of 0.06-1.9. Polarized emission is detected mainly from large radio galaxies. The RRM values have a median close to zero, and they appear to be independent of redshift and degree of polarization. The sources in the lines of sight of clusters of galaxies and of a supercluster are indistinguishable in their polarization and RRM properties from the population of sources that are not behind these structures.
ϵ-Nash equilibrium of anticipative large-population LQ game with partial observations
Authors: Li Jize , Zhou Yonghui
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we study a class of large-population linear-quadratic game problem that is driven by an anticipative signal-observation system with a correlation between the initial value of the signal and the observation noise. Firstly, we utilize a method of enlargement of filtration to transform the anticipative signal-observation system into a higher-dimensional non-anticipative one, and construct an extended equivalent large-population adapted game problem. Secondly, for each individual, by separation principle, filtering theory, and squared compensatory technology, we derive a closed-form decentralized equilibrium strategy for a limiting adapted version with a freezing term instead of average state, and obtain a consistency condition consisting of a forward-backward stochastic differential system with the coefficients affected by the correlation function. Finally, we prove for the extended equivalent large-population adapted game, the ϵ-Nash equilibrium properties of the decentralized strategy designed by means of locally observed information.
An upper bound for the first nonzero Steklov eigenvalue
Authors: Li Xiaolong , Wang Kui , Wu Haotian
Published: December 2024

Let (Mn, g) be a complete simply connected n-dimensional Riemannian manifold with curvature bounds Sectg ≤ κ for κ ≤ 0 and Ricg ≥ (n − 1)Kg for K ≤ 0. We prove that for any bounded domain Ω ⊂ Mn with diameter d and Lipschitz boundary, if Ω* is a geodesic ball in the simply connected space form with constant sectional curvature κ enclosing the same volume as Ω, then σ1(Ω) ≤ Cσ1(Ω*), where σ1(Ω) and σ1(Ω*) denote the first nonzero Steklov eigenvalues of Ω and Ω* respectively, and C = C(n, κ, K, d) is an explicit constant. When κ = K, we have C = 1 and recover the Brock–Weinstock inequality, asserting that geodesic balls uniquely maximize the first nonzero Steklov eigenvalue among domains of the same volume, in Euclidean space and the hyperbolic space.
A theory of current instabilities of a charged liquid helium surface
Authors: Monarkha Yu. P. , Sokolov S. S.
Published: December 2024

A theoretical study is made of current instabilities of a charged surface of liquid helium. These instabilities are produced by the “evaporation” of electrons from surface levels into the quasicontinuous spectrum region. In a de driving field, current-voltage characteristics are S-shaped, while for high frequency ac fields, the characteristics are N-shaped.
Low-temperature heat conduction of layered Pbl2 crystals under uniaxial compression
Authors: Anders É. E. , Volchok I. V.
Published: December 2024

Experimental investigations of the heat conductivity of layered Pbl2 single crystals are conducted under conditions of uniaxial compression perpendicular to the plane of the layers in the 2−30°K temperature interval. A significant reduction in the heat conductivity of crystals subjected to loading is detected. Possible factors which result in a change in the heat conduction are examined.
Phenomenological Lagrangian of spin waves in spatially-disordered media
Authors: Volkov D. V. , Zheltukhin A. A.
Published: December 2024

The structure of the exchange and relativistic spin wave interactions is determined. The relation between the hydrodynamic and phenomenological approaches is established, taking account of the nonlinear interaction of the magnons. A classification of magnetic media according to the properties of the spin operator means is proposed.
Influence of the superconducting transition on the stepwise deformation in aluminum
Authors: Kuz’menko I. N. , Pustovalov V. V.
Published: December 2024

Stepwise deformation is examined in normal and superconducting aluminum and at the superconducting transition. It was found that the state of the metal exerts a substantial influence on the stepwise deformation. The results obtained are compared with existing theoretical models for the thermal instability of plastic deformation at low temperature.
Fast measurement of group index variation with optimum precision using Hong–Ou–Mandel interferometry
Authors: Singh Sandeep , Kumar Vimlesh , Samanta G. K.
Published: December 2024

Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) interferometry has emerged as a valuable means for quantum sensing applications, particularly in measuring physical parameters that influence the relative optical delay between photon pairs. Unlike classical techniques, HOM-based quantum sensors offer higher resolution due to the intrinsic dispersion cancellation property of correlated photon pairs. Due to the use of single photons, HOM-based quantum sensors typically involve a large integration time to acquire the signal and subsequent post-processing for high-resolution measurements, restricting their use for real-time operations. Based on our understanding of the relationship between measurement resolution and the gain medium length that produces photon pairs, we report here on the development of an HOM-based quantum sensor for high-precision group index measurements. Using a 1 mm long periodically poled KTP (PPKTP) crystal for photon-pair generation, we have measured the group index with a precision of ∼6.75×10−6 per centimeter of sample length at an integration time of 100 ms, surpassing the previous reports by 400%. Typically, the measurement range reduces with the increase in the resolution. However, using a novel scheme compensating photon delay due to group index changes stepwise with an optical delay stage, we have measured the group index variation of PPKTP crystal over a range of 3.5 × 10−3 for a temperature change from 25 to 200 °C, corresponding to an optical delay adjustment of ∼200 μm while maintaining the same precision (∼6.75×10−6 per centimeter of sample length). The current results establish the usefulness of HOM-interferometer-based quantum sensors for fast, precise, and long-range measurements in various applications, including quantum optical coherence tomography.
DFT insights into the structural, mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermal properties of Cr2AC (A = Si, Al, Ga, Ge, and P) MAX phases carbides
Authors: Amin Md. Nurul , Al Faysal Abdulla , Azzouz-Rached Ahmed , Chowdhury Faisal Islam , Uddin Jamal , Uddin Join , Islam Jahidul , Piyal Ali Reza , Chowdhury Anjan Kumar , Rahman A. K. M. Rezaur
Published: December 2024

This work examines the structural, electronic, mechanical, optical, and thermal properties of Cr2AC (A = Si, Al, Ga, Ge, and P) MAX phases using density functional theory. These properties are investigated through first-principles calculations within the generalized gradient approximation using the CASTEP software package. The Cr2AC phases exhibit metallic behavior, as confirmed by their electronic band structures, with no bandgap present. Regarding mechanical properties, Cr2SiC and Cr2GeC display superior ductility due to their covalent bonding, while Cr2AlC and Cr2GaC are more brittle due to ionic bonding. The elastic constants confirm the mechanical stability of these compounds, and the analysis of their anisotropic mechanical behavior indicates varying degrees of direction-dependent elasticity. For optical properties, reflectivity and refractive indices calculations suggest that these materials could be useful for optoelectronic applications. Thermal properties, including Grüneisen parameters (γ) and Debye temperatures (ΘD), indicate that Cr2AlC and Cr2PC exhibit exceptional thermal stability, making them promising candidates for thermal barrier coatings. These MAX phases are mechanically stable, and their tunable properties, driven by A-site substitution, expand the range of potential applications in areas such as high-temperature and optoelectronic devices used in hostile environments.
Electrospun PMMA fiber biofilm for the removal of COD and NH3–N in wastewater
Authors: Zhuo Liyun , Zhang Xinyi , Jiang Jiaxin , Chen Huatan , Zheng Yafen , Wang Xiang , Li Wenwang , Zheng Gaofeng
Published: December 2024

Organic matter and ammonia-nitrogen pollution are the research focuses of sewage purification. PMMA fiber biofilm carriers were prepared using the electrospinning technique and compared with nonwoven fiber biofilm carriers in purification experiments. The two biofilm carriers are bacteria-cultured for several days, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N) of the sewage are tested and analyzed. The results showed that after four days of purification, the COD concentration removal rate of the non-woven fiber biofilm group reached 77.89%, and the COD removal rate of the PMMA fiber biofilm group reached 82.70%. After six days of purification, the NH3–N concentration in the non-woven fiber biofilm group did not decrease but increased, from the original 7.64 to 8.74 mg/l, with an increase rate of 13.87%. The NH3–N concentration in the PMMA fiber biofilm group decreased from the original 7.62 to 6.22 mg/l, with a removal rate of 13.87%. It can be seen that the PMMA fiber biofilm carrier has more advantages in the reduction of COD and NH3–N in organic wastewater.