bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-Adaptive Representation Learning Model for Multi-Modal Sentiment and Sarcasm Joint Analysis
Authors: Zhang Yazhou , Yu Yang , Wang Mengyao , Huang Min , Hossain M. Shamim
Published: December 2023

Sentiment and sarcasm are intimate and complex, as sarcasm often deliberately elicits an emotional response in order to achieve its specific purpose. Current challenges in multi-modal sentiment and sarcasm joint detection mainly include multi-modal representation fusion and the modeling of the intrinsic relationship between sentiment and sarcasm. To address these challenges, we propose a single-input stream self-adaptive representation learning model (SRLM) for sentiment and sarcasm joint recognition. Specifically, we divide the image into blocks to learn its serialized features and fuse textual feature as input to the target model. Then, we introduce an adaptive representation learning network using a gated network approach for sarcasm and sentiment classification. In this framework, each task is equipped with its dedicated expert network responsible for learning task-specific information, while the shared expert knowledge is acquired and weighted through the gating network. Finally, comprehensive experiments conducted on two publicly available datasets, namely Memotion and MUStARD, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model when compared to state-of-the-art baselines. The results reveal a notable improvement on the performance of sentiment and sarcasm tasks.
Design, Calibration, and Evaluation of Real-time Waveform Matching on an FPGA-based Digitizer at 10 GS/s
Authors: Trautmann Jens , Krüger Paul , Becher Andreas , Wildermann Stefan , Teich Jürgen
Published: December 2023

Digitizing side-channel signals at high sampling rates produces huge amounts of data, while side-channel analysis techniques only need those specific trace segments containing Cryptographic Operations (COs). For detecting these segments, waveform-matching techniques have been established comparing the signal with a template of the CO’s characteristic pattern. Real-time waveform matching requires highly parallel implementations as achieved by hardware design but also reconfigurability as provided by Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to adapt the matching hardware to a specific CO pattern. However, currently proposed designs process the samples from analog-to-digital converters sequentially and can only process low sampling rates due to the limited clock speed of FPGAs.

In this article, we present a parallel waveform-matching architecture capable of performing high-speed waveform matching on a high-end FPGA-based digitizer. We also present a workflow for calibrating the waveform-matching system to the specific pattern of the CO in the presence of hardware restrictions provided by the FPGA hardware. Our implementation enables waveform matching at 10 GS/s, offering a speedup of 50× compared to the fastest state-of-the-art implementation known to us. We demonstrate how to apply the technique for attacking the widespread XTS-AES algorithm using waveform matching to recover the encrypted tweak even in the presence of so-called systemic noise.
Multi-Measurement Kalman-Filtering-Based Neural Network Estimator for SOC of Lithium Batteries
Authors: Qin Xubin , Hao Tianyun , Ding Jie
Published: December 2023

State of charge (SOC) refers to the remaining capacity of the battery, which cannot be measured directly. A multi-measurement Kalman filter which is composed of two sub Kalman filters is constructed to improve the estimation accuracy of SOC. The two sub filters share the same state function but have different measurements, namely the terminal voltage and the SOC estimation from neural network, respectively. Based on minimizing the trace of error covariance, an optimal weighted matrix is computed to fuse the estimates of the two sub filters. The training dataset of neural network is collected from mixed discharging cycles experiment and corresponding charging process. By comparing the results with model-based methods, such as H-infinity filter, unscented Kalman filter, data-driven methods, like neural networks and hybrid method, the multi-measurement Kalman filter is verified by both the root mean square error and mean absolute error that are less than 2% in different drive cycles.
Simultaneous Determination of Serotonin and Tryptamine Using Polyglutamic Acid-Silver Nanoparticles Composite Film Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Swathy S. , Kumar K. Girish
Published: December 2023

Serotonin (ST), chemically 5-hydroxy tryptamine, is a neurotransmitter which mediates a series of central and peripheral functions in the human body and has a crucial role in gastrointestinal and psychiatric disorders. Tryptamine (Tryp) is also a neurotransmitter, mainly found in protein-rich foods, beverages and other fermented foods. The accumulation of higher concentrations of Tryp is harmful to human health. So, it is important to determine both ST and Tryp in our body. A polyglutamic acid (pGlu)-Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) composite film modified Glassy Carbon Electrode (pGlu-AgNPs/GCE) has been developed for the simultaneous determination of ST and Tryp. The incorporation of AgNPs with pGlu makes the sensor more efficient and reliable for the voltammetric sensing of ST and Tryp. Experimental parameters were optimised and, the sensor showed a linear concentration range for the determination of ST and Tryp from 1.00 × 10–5 M to 7.00 × 10–7 M and 1.00 × 10–5 M to 9.00 × 10–7 M, respectively. The electrooxidation of ST at pGlu-AgNPs/GCE was found to be diffusion controlled, whereas adsorption controlled electrooxidation was found for Tryp. The applicability of the sensor in determining ST and Tryp has been checked in artificial physiological fluids.
MoS2 Quantum Dots-based Low-cost and Disposable Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of Lead (II) Ions
Authors: Kancharla Kantharao , Tadi Kiran Kumar
Published: December 2023

After the discovery of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have received great attention due to their excellent physico-chemical properties. Application of 2D-nanomaterials as receptors of a sensor can achieve high sensitivity and specificity as every atom of the material directly interacts with the analyte. In the present work, MoS2 quantum dots (MSQD) for the ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of lead (Pb2+) ions. MSQDs were prepared by mechanical shear exfoliation method. Size of the QDs and inter planar distance of the crystalline QDs were studied using transmission electron microscope (TEM). The prepared quantum dots were drop casted on a shiny surface of well-polished pencil graphite electrode (PGE). In order to obtain the highest sensitivity for Pb2+-ion sensing, anodic stripping DPV (ASDPV) was employed and consequently, the effect of pH, deposition potential and time were optimized. The sensor shows a linear range from 5.66

×

10−9 M to 491.93

×

10−9 M with a calculated detection limit 1.96

×

10−9 M for the detection of Pb2+-ion. The sensor’s response for Pb2+-ion was unaffected in the presence of any other metal ions. A remarkable average recovery percentage around 99.50% from the Pb2+-ion spiked agriculture soil and ground water samples proves the practical applicability of the sensor.
Sex differences in zymosan-induced behavioral visceral hypersensitivity and colorectal afferent sensitization
Authors: Guo Tiantian , Liu Jia , Chen Longtu , Bian Zichao , Zheng Guoan , Feng Bin
Published: December 2023

We used high-throughput GCaMP6f recordings to study 2,275 mechanosensitive colorectal afferents in mice. Our results revealed significant sex differences in the zymosan-induced behavioral visceral hypersensitivity, which were present in male but not female mice. Male mice also showed sensitization of colorectal afferents in the thoracolumbar pathway, whereas female mice did not. These findings highlight sex differences in sensory neural anatomy and function of the colorectum, with implications for sex-specific therapies for treating visceral pain.
Investigation on Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Skin as a Potentially Effective Natural Food Preservative
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Lokman , Uddin Md. Nazim , Orchy Tania Nowreen , Naher Shamsun , Begum Mohajira , Haque Md. Zahurul
Published: December 2023

The study is aimed at estimating the possibility of using pomegranate peel extracts as a natural food preservative which was investigated in fish samples. All the extracts (cold water, hot water, and 70% methanol) have been tested against five bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhi, Bacillus megaterium, and Bacillus subtilis) using the agar disc diffusion method. Hot water extract showed the best result against B. megaterium. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) for hot water extract as crude was taken 20 μl/disc was 25 mm. Total antioxidant activity and total phenolic content (TPC) were determined for different extracts. The results of a test for TPC showed that 70% methanolic extract (MeOH) and cold water extract, respectively, comprised 263.59 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g and 197.99 mg GAE/g of total phenolics. In addition, MeOH had a total antioxidant activity of

67.55
±
5.58

 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE)/g while hot water extract had a total antioxidant activity of

66.86
±
3.55

 mg AAE/g. The extracts were applied to Ompok pabda fish, and the fish were preserved in prepared extracts for 24 hours in the open air. Total volatile nitrogen (TVN) and sensory parameters were evaluated at regular intervals of 0, 4, 12, 18, and 24 hours. The TVN value of the prepared extracts was found in order of hot water> MeOH> cold water. Fish preserved in hot water extract was in the acceptable range even after 24 hours. Methanol extract and hot water yielded superior outcomes in preserving the fish.
Performance Assessment of a Rehabilitation Transportation Reservation Matching Service with Market Design Mechanisms
Authors: Lan Chen Yu , Chu Chih Peng , Chen Cheng Chieh (Frank)
Published: December 2023

Government agencies provide huge amount of subsidies to support the rehabilitation transportation service over the past decade in eastern Taiwan; however, low demand request fulfillment rate, limited medical and transportation resources, long travel distances, and an extremely high percentage of dead mileages are still the main challenges faced by rehabilitation transportation service providers. This study applies the market design theory to match the rehabilitation buses with the requests of patients, so as to improve resource utilization efficiency in rural areas. The developed market design mechanisms aim to allocate resources to those who need them most in a matching manner, by using the deferred acceptance algorithm and the top trading cycle approach. The model is initialized with the requests of those who choose the rehabilitation bus based on their desired boarding time slots. On the other hand, the service providers of the rehabilitation bus would determine patients’ schedule based on their disability level, willingness to share the ride, number of fulfilled appointments during this month, and the travel distance of this trip as the order of preference. Since the current vehicle dispatching rule is to reserve seats of a rehabilitation bus on the “first-come-first-served” basis, and it cannot fully satisfy patients need. In accordance with the historical data, 63 of 72 demand requests could successfully reserve the seats. In the “first-come, first-served” mode, 48 requests obtained the first-ranking shift (i.e., their desired time slots), and the sum of their disability level score is 155. In the market design matching mode, 57 requests obtained the first-ranking shift, and the sum of their disability level score is 170, which demonstrates that the proposed market design matching mechanism outperforms than the conventional rules.
Aerodynamic Analysis of a Logistics UAV with Foldable Bi-wing Configuration
Authors: Wang Xiaolu , Lu Wenlong , Liu Weiwei , Chen Changning , Zhao Liangyu
Published: December 2023

Herein, a twin-boom, inverted V-tailed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) featuring a foldable bi-wing configuration is proposed for logistics and transportation applications. We employed the Navier–Stokes solver to numerically simulate steady, incompressible flow conditions. By examining the effects of key design parameters on aerodynamic characteristics and bypass flow fields in a two-dimensional state, we were able to suggest a more optimized foldable wing design. Building on the two-dimensional analysis, we performed aerodynamic assessments of the three-dimensional aircraft geometry. Our results indicated that appropriate wing and gap parameters can significantly enhance lift characteristics, maintaining high lift even during large-angle flights. Specifically, when compared to a mono-wing, the lift coefficient of the bi-wing increased by 27.1% at a 14° angle of attack, demonstrating the effectiveness of our wing-and-gap design. Optimal aerodynamic performance was achieved when the gap distance equalled the chord length in both flow and vertical directions. Further, the right combination of airfoil configuration, wing axes angle, and wingspan can improve flow field aerodynamic characteristics, while also enhancing the wing’s stall capacity. The lift coefficient reached its maximum value at an angle of attack of 15°, which has the potential to reduce takeoff and landing distances, thereby enhancing the UAV’s overall safety.
Antiseizure Effects of Peganum harmala L. and Lavandula angustifolia
Authors: Rahimian Zahra , Sadrian SeyedHassan , Shahisavandi Mina , Aligholi Hadi , Zarshenas Mohammad M. , Abyar Alireza , Zeraatpisheh Zahra , Asadi-Pooya Ali A.
Published: December 2023

Peganum harmala L. and Lavandula angustifolia are two traditional herbs with probable antiseizure effects. This study evaluated the effects of these two herbal extracts on pentylenetetrazol‐ (PTZ‐) induced seizures in mice. We prepared hydroalcoholic extracts using P. harmala seeds and the aerial parts of L. angustifolia and then randomly divided 190 mice into 19 groups. Normal saline (10 mg/kg), diazepam (2 mg/kg), P. harmala (2.5, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg/kg), and L. angustifolia (200, 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg) were intraperitoneally (IP) administrated 30 min before an IP administration of PTZ (90 mg/kg). Animals were observed for behavioral changes for one hour. In addition, the effects of flumazenil and naloxone on the antiseizure activity of P. harmala and L. angustifolia were assessed. P. harmala showed antiseizure activity at the dose of 10 mg/kg; it prolonged the seizure latency and decreased the seizure duration. The mortality protection rate was 90% for this herbal extract. L. angustifolia (600 mg/kg) prolonged the seizure latency and decreased both seizure duration and mortality. Neither flumazenil nor naloxone significantly reversed the antiseizure activities of P. harmala and L. angustifolia. In mice, the hydroalcoholic extracts of P. harmala and L. angustifolia showed antiseizure activity against PTZ‐induced seizures. We could not delineate the exact antiseizure mechanisms of these extracts in the current study.
Risk Prediction Models for Invasive Mechanical Ventilation in Patients with Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Xie Shiyang , Chen Meilin , Qiu Luying , Li Long , Deng Shumin , Liu Fang , Fu Hefei , Wang Yanzhe
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives. Timely identification of developing severe respiratory failure in patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is crucial to ensure prompt treatment with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), which can potentially improve the outcome. We aimed to develop a nomogram for requiring IMV based on easily available clinical characteristics. Methods. A multivariate predictive nomogram model was developed using the risk factors identified by LASSO regression and assessed by receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Results. The risk factors predictive of severe respiratory failure were male gender, impaired hepatic function, elevated intracranial pressure, and higher neuron-specific enolase. The final nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.770. After validation by bootstrapping, a concordance index of 0.748 was achieved. Conclusions. Our nomogram accurately predicted the risk of developing respiratory failure needing IMV in AE patients and provide clinicians with a simple and effective tool to guide treatment interventions in the AE patients.
Production and Biochemical, Phytochemical, Sensory, and Microbiological Characterization of “Bili-Bili” and “Cochette,” Two Traditional Beers Produced from Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and Rice (Oryza sativa)
Authors: Bayoï James Ronald , Danla Benedicte Musette
Published: December 2023

“Bili-bili” and “cochette” are two traditional beers made from sorghum and rice, respectively. Despite the socioeconomical interest of these drinks, limited studies have been conducted to elucidate their quality and safety. To fill these gaps, the quality features and the safety status of both beers were assessed. After a reasoned field survey, the samples from various locations in Maroua were collected and analysed using referenced methods. The field survey revealed that both beers were produced under unsanitary conditions using rudimentary procedures. Mean values of pH (2.99 and 3.58), TTA (1.1 and 0.9%), alcohol (3.8 and 2.5%), DM (6.4 and 11.1%), TSS (6.94 and 6.18 °Brix), proteins (0.54 and 0.71 g/100 mL), amino acids (0.30 and 0.38 g/100 mL), and ash (1.52 and 0.51%) were recorded in “bili-bili” and “cochette,” respectively. Similarly, the TPC, TFC, and carotenoid content of 325.5 and 352.4 mgGAE/100 mL, 314.4 and 278.9 mgQE/100 mL, and 95.4 and 89.4 mg/100 mL were noted in both beers, respectively. “Bili-bili” and “cochette” exhibited free radical scavenging activity of 42.4 and 36.7% and reducing power of 87.3 and 119.5 mgTE/100 mL, respectively. Overall acceptability ratings ranged from 5.6 to 7.5 and from 6.7 to 6.9 for “bili-bili” and “cochette,” respectively. No pathogen was detected, but the presence of total aerobic bacteria, fungi, coliforms, and aerobic spore-forming bacteria flora above the recommended limits made both beers unsafe and potentially harmful for consumers. Given all above, improving of the production scheme and microbiological quality of the two traditional beers are required to ensure the safety of consumers.
Soil Fertility Status as Influenced by Slope Gradient and Land Use Types in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Merga Kedir , Gidago Gifole , Laekemariam Fanuel
Published: December 2023

Understanding the effects of land use types and slope gradients on the physicochemical properties of soil is essential for sustainable soil management. Therefore, this study was conducted at the Azit subwatershed of Gedebano Gutazer Welene Woreda, Southern Ethiopia, with the objectives to evaluate the effect of land use types, examine the interaction of land use and slope gradient, and evaluate the effect of slope gradient on selected soil physicochemical properties. A total of 27 soil samples using a simple random sampling technique with randomized complete block design from 3 land use types (cultivated, eucalyptus, and grazing lands) ×3 slope gradients (upper 10–15%, middle 5–10%, and lower 2–5% slopes) ×3 replications and depth (0–20 cm) were collected. Results indicated that most of the physicochemical properties of soils were significantly (

P
<
0.01

) affected by land use and slope gradient. Silt and sand particles did not vary significantly (

P
>
0.05

) among the land use types. The interaction effect of land use and slope was not significant (

P
>
0.05

) for most of the soil properties except for organic carbon (OC). Results of data analysis also showed that soil fertility was low under cultivated and eucalyptus lands coupled with the upper slope gradient. Therefore, based on the study’s findings, it can be recommended that integrated soil fertility management practices, such as the addition of soil organic matter and appropriate use of inorganic fertilizers, need to be implemented to restore the lost soil fertility status on the cultivated land and ultimately increase agricultural productivity on a sustainable basis. Eucalyptus plantings should also gradually be replaced by those that assist the soil in restoring its fertility.
Research on Material Selection Method and Brittle Fracture Mechanism of High-Pressure Pipeline
Authors: Li Yulin , Li Zhihui
Published: December 2023

Aiming at the problem of the brittle fracture of pressure pipeline, the elastic constraint structure is described by using members and engineering building structures, and the concept of elastic constraint is proposed. Through the stress field analysis of the pressure pipeline under internal pressure, it is found that the pressure pipeline under internal pressure is an elastic constraint structure. The elastic constraint effect is applied to the pressure pipeline to explore the influence of elastic constraint effect on the brittle fracture of pressure pipeline. The critical wall thickness and limit load of different materials are calculated by the limit bearing formula. Through simulation analysis of materials with different yield ratios and pipelines with different wall thicknesses of the same material (yield ratio is the ratio of yield strength to tensile strength), it was found that pressure pipelines made of the same material have an increased load-bearing capacity as the wall thickness increases, but their own elastic constraint effects are becoming more obvious, and the probability of the brittle fracture of the pipeline is higher. When the wall thickness of pressure pipelines made of materials with different yield ratios is certain, the lower the yield ratio is, the more likely the pipeline is to generate plastic deformation and the larger the deformation capacity is; the higher the yield ratio, the poorer the plastic deformation capacity of the pipeline and the smaller the deformation capacity. Pipelines with large yield ratio are more sensitive to the brittle fracture than those with small yield ratio.
Budget Impact of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® Test in Patients with Early Primary Hormone-Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative, Node-Positive Breast Cancer in Germany
Authors: Lux Michael Patrick , Minartz Christof , Müller-Huesmann Harald , Sandor Marianar Felicia , Radeck-Knorre Sabine , Neubauer Aljoscha Steffen
Published: December 2023

Background: Gene expression tests can inform decisions on whether to recommend or omit chemotherapy for patients with early HR+, HER2− breast cancer. The benefit of these tests is well established and fully reimbursed by sickness funds for lymph node-negative (pN0) patients in Germany. A budget impact model was built to evaluate the effect of using the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test also for node-positive (pN1: 1–3 positive lymph nodes) patients. Methods: The prospective randomized clinical trial, RxPONDER, defined conditions (Recurrence Score result 0–25 for postmenopausal patients with 1–3 positive lymph nodes) under which omitting chemotherapy does not significantly impact invasive disease-free survival with results currently reported for 5-year follow-up. The present budget impact model calculates average total cost per node-positive patient versus no testing from a sickness funds perspective, taking into account not only the budgetary impact of avoiding chemotherapy and associated side effects, but also the costs of treating those patients who develop distant metastasis. The stability of the results was investigated by probabilistic multivariate sensitivity analysis. Results: After deducting testing cost, applying the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test yielded an average savings per node-positive patient of EUR 4,272. Without the test costs, the greatest savings resulted from reductions in direct treatment costs and costs arising from the treatment of chemotherapy-related side effects, which together averaged EUR 6,677. The targeted use of chemotherapy after testing also resulted in slightly lower costs for treatment of distant metastasis, if it did occur. The multivariate sensitivity analysis also almost exclusively resulted in cost savings. Conclusion: Analogous to the pN0 situation, this budget impact model demonstrates that the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test can also reduce healthcare costs in Germany in treatment of node-positive (pN1: 1–3 positive lymph nodes) patients by minimizing both unnecessary chemotherapy and undertreatment. Additional benefits to patients would include reduced morbidity and improved quality of life for those patients who can safely avoid chemotherapy or undertreatment.
The Hearing Aid Effect across Diverse African Populations and Various Hearing Device Modalities
Authors: Seroto Cathrine , Swanepoel De Wet , Manchaiah Vinaya , Graham Marien Alet , Mahomed-Asmail Faheema
Published: December 2023

Introduction: The stigma associated with wearing hearing aids, known as the “hearing aid effect,” remains a significant issue in hearing healthcare. Despite notable changes in the look and feel of hearing aids over the last decade, little is known about the influence of socioeconomic factors on the perception of different hearing devices in a socioeconomically diverse setting. Therefore, the objective of the study is to determine the hearing aid effect across a range of hearing devices and its association with socioeconomic factors, namely, area of residence and level of education across African communities. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design with 322 participants (161 rural, 161 urban), mean age 31.9 years (14.7 SD). Participants rated photographs of seven different styles of devices (standard behind-the-ear hearing aid [BTE HA] with an ear mould, mini BTE HA with a slim tube [ST], in-the-canal [ITC] HA, AirPod, receiver in canal [RIC], completely-in-canal HA, and Personal Sound Amplification Product [PSAP]) worn by a peer model using a validated scale of eight attributes (attractiveness, age, success, hardworking, trustworthiness, intelligence, friendliness, education). The ratings of the BTE HA with ear mould were used as a benchmark for comparison. Results: No hearing aid effect was observed across all participants (n = 322) with device ratings ranging between neutral and positive. Significant differences between device ratings were evident for attractiveness for ST and PSAP and trustworthiness for ITC. In terms of residence, urban participants provided more favourable ratings compared to rural participants, with significant differences across three attribute ratings: hardworking for ST; attractiveness, hardworking for ITC; age for RIC and AirPod; and hardworking for PSAP. For level of education, significant differences were found for attributes of attractiveness (H = 13.5; p = 0.001) for ITC; attractiveness (H = 14.7; p = 0.001) for PSAP; age (H = 9.5; p = 0.009) for RIC; age (H = 14.3; p < 0.001) and intelligence (H = 15.1; p < 0.001) for AirPod; and hardworking (H = 11.9; p = 0.003) for ST. Conclusion: Overall, participants had a neutral to positive view of hearing devices with preferences for less visible, conventionally styled devices. Socioeconomic variables such as educational attainment and geographical location influence perceptions of hearing devices emphasizing the importance of taking these aspects into account when prescribing hearing devices.
Association of Neighborhood-Level Marginalization With Health Care Use and Clinical Outcomes Following Hospital Discharge in Patients Who Underwent Coronary Catheterization for Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Single-Payer Health Care System
Authors: Akioyamen Leo E. , Abdel-Qadir Husam , Han Lu , Sud Maneesh , Mistry Nikhil , Alter David A. , Atzema Clare L. , Austin Peter C. , Bhatia R. Sacha , Booth Gillian L. , Dhalla Irfan , Ha Andrew C.T. , Jackevicius Cynthia A. , Kapral Moira K. , Krumholz Harlan M. , Lee Douglas S. , McNaughton Candace D. , Roifman Idan , Schull Michael J. , Sivaswamy Atul , Tu Karen , Udell Jacob A. , Wijeysundera Harindra C. , Ko Dennis T.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Canadian data suggest that patients of lower socioeconomic status with acute myocardial infarction receive less beneficial therapy and have worse clinical outcomes, raising questions regarding care disparities even in universal health care systems. We assessed the contemporary association of marginalization with clinical outcomes and health services use.

METHODS:

Using clinical and administrative databases in Ontario, Canada, we conducted a population-based study of patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized for their first acute myocardial infarction between April 1, 2010 and March 1, 2019. Patients receiving cardiac catheterization and surviving 7 days postdischarge were included. Our primary exposure was neighborhood-level marginalization, a multidimensional socioeconomic status metric. Neighborhoods were categorized by quintile from Q1 (least marginalized) to Q5 (most marginalized). Our primary outcome was all-cause mortality. A proportional hazards regression model with a robust variance estimator was used to quantify the association of marginalization with outcomes, adjusting for risk factors, comorbidities, disease severity, and regional cardiologist supply.

RESULTS:

Among 53 841 patients (median age, 75 years; 39.1% female) from 20 640 neighborhoods, crude 1- and 3-year mortality rates were 7.7% and 17.2%, respectively. Patients in Q5 had no significant difference in 1-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08 [95% CI, 0.95–1.22]), but greater mortality over 3 years (HR, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.03–1.22]) compared with Q1. Over 1 year, we observed differences between Q1 and Q5 in visits to primary care physicians (Q1, 96.7%; Q5, 93.7%) and cardiologists (Q1, 82.6%; Q5, 72.6%), as well as diagnostic testing. There were no differences in secondary prevention medications dispensed or medication adherence at 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS:

In older patients with acute myocardial infarction who survived to hospital discharge, those residing in the most marginalized neighborhoods had a greater long-term risk of mortality, less specialist care, and fewer diagnostic tests. Yet, there were no differences across socioeconomic status in prescription medication use and adherence.
Robust frequency-dependent diffusional kurtosis computation using an efficient direction scheme, axisymmetric modelling, and spatial regularization
Authors: Hamilton Jake , Xu Kathy , Geremia Nicole , Prado Vania F. , Prado Marco A.M. , Brown Arthur , Baron Corey A.
Published: December 2023

Frequency-dependent diffusion MRI (dMRI) using oscillating gradient encoding and diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) techniques have been shown to provide additional insight into tissue microstructure compared to conventional dMRI. However, a technical challenge when combining these techniques is that the generation of the large b-values (≥2000 s/mm2) required for DKI is difficult when using oscillating gradient diffusion encoding. While efficient encoding schemes can enable larger b-values by maximizing multiple gradient channels simultaneously, they do not have sufficient directions to enable the estimation of directional kurtosis parameters. Accordingly, we investigate a DKI fitting algorithm that combines axisymmetric DKI fitting, a prior that enforces the same axis of symmetry for all oscillating gradient frequencies, and spatial regularization, which together enable robust DKI fitting for a 10-direction scheme that offers double the b-value compared to traditional encoding schemes. Using data from mice (oscillating frequencies of 0, 60, and 120 Hz) and humans (0 Hz only), we first show that axisymmetric DKI fitting provides comparable or even slightly improved image quality as compared to kurtosis tensor fitting, and improved DKI map quality when using an efficient encoding scheme with averaging as compared to a traditional scheme with more encoding directions. We also demonstrate that enforcing consistent axes of symmetries across frequencies improves fitting quality, and spatial regularization during fitting preserves spatial features better than using Gaussian filtering prior to fitting, which is an oft-reported pre-processing step for DKI. Thus, the use of an efficient 10-direction scheme combined with the proposed DKI fitting algorithm provides robust maps of frequency-dependent directional kurtosis which may offer increased sensitivity to cytoarchitectural changes that occur at various cellular spatial scales over the course of healthy aging, and due to pathological alterations.
(Under)specification Counts: When Nonlocal Anaphors Are Not Exempt
Authors: Everaert Martin , Reuland Eric
Published: December 2023

We explore the proposal in Charnavel 2019, 2020 that nonlocal anaphor binding is only apparent and reduces to local binding by a silent pronominal element—prolog—as the subject of a logophoric operator OPLOG in the left periphery of the anaphor’s local domain. Like any pronominal, prolog can be valued by a distant antecedent and should license split antecedents and partial binding for the anaphor it binds. We show that ϕ-deficient anaphors in different language families allow nonlocal binding, while disallowing split antecedents and partial binding, contra the main hypothesis of the prolog approach. We describe a Multiple Agree–based analysis that accounts for the patterns observed.
The Limiting Dynamics of SGD: Modified Loss, Phase-Space Oscillations, and Anomalous Diffusion
Authors: Kunin Daniel , Sagastuy-Brena Javier , Gillespie Lauren , Margalit Eshed , Tanaka Hidenori , Ganguli Surya , Yamins Daniel L. K.
Published: December 2023

In this work, we explore the limiting dynamics of deep neural networks trained with stochastic gradient descent (SGD). As observed previously, long after performance has converged, networks continue to move through parameter space by a process of anomalous diffusion in which distance traveled grows as a power law in the number of gradient updates with a nontrivial exponent. We reveal an intricate interaction among the hyperparameters of optimization, the structure in the gradient noise, and the Hessian matrix at the end of training that explains this anomalous diffusion. To build this understanding, we first derive a continuous-time model for SGD with finite learning rates and batch sizes as an underdamped Langevin equation. We study this equation in the setting of linear regression, where we can derive exact, analytic expressions for the phase-space dynamics of the parameters and their instantaneous velocities from initialization to stationarity. Using the Fokker-Planck equation, we show that the key ingredient driving these dynamics is not the original training loss but rather the combination of a modified loss, which implicitly regularizes the velocity, and probability currents that cause oscillations in phase space. We identify qualitative and quantitative predictions of this theory in the dynamics of a ResNet-18 model trained on ImageNet. Through the lens of statistical physics, we uncover a mechanistic origin for the anomalous limiting dynamics of deep neural networks trained with SGD. Understanding the limiting dynamics of SGD, and its dependence on various important hyperparameters like batch size, learning rate, and momentum, can serve as a basis for future work that can turn these insights into algorithmic gains.
Goliath’s Humanimal Body: Masculinity, Ethnicity, and Animal Imagery in 1 Samuel 17
Authors: Millar Suzanna
Published: December 2023

In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath is described using animal imagery, depicted like a sea creature, a lion and bear, a dog, and scavengers’ prey. I argue that these images present Goliath as not fully human, and contribute to the construction of his masculinity and ethnicity. This article traces the following trajectory: masculinity is established then undermined; the foreigner encroaches then is expelled. Goliath is introduced as a hypermasculine ultrapredator. Akin to a sea monster from the chaotic beyond, he has an exoskeleton of fish-scale armour (17:5). David then likens Goliath to lions and bears (17:34–37), imperial symbols for fearsome foreign nations. David, though, can grasp their beards (overturning their masculinity) and slay them. Goliath perceives David to be treating him like a scavenging dog (17:43)—a dishonorable creature encroaching where it does not belong. Consequently, the opponents threaten to give the other’s flesh to the birds and beasts (17:44, 46). Their bodies’ masculine wholeness is disarticulated by scavengers and expelled from society.
On Animals, Autonomy, and Apocalypticism in Daniel
Authors: Frisch Alexandria
Published: December 2023

Daniel is a book concerned about living in and under imperial rule, whether it be following Daniel’s exploits in court tales or envisioning the end of empire in dreams. At the same time, Daniel is also about bodies—human and animal, divine and earthly, real and imagined. The variety of bodies mirrors what Cary Wolfe dubs a “species grid” (Wolfe and Elmer, 2003), which categorizes bodies from the fully realized subject of the “humanized human” to the “animalized human” and the “humanized animal” and, finally, the objectified “animalized animal.” This article uses and adapts this grid to chart the power of animals, humans, and the divine in Daniel. The result is that we can see more clearly how Daniel transitioned from an earlier Deuteronomistic theology that understood humans as the cause of divine reward and punishment to an apocalyptic worldview that removed power from human hands entirely.
Queer Fish: Following the Great Transgender Fish in the Book of Jonah
Authors: Carayannis Lily
Published: December 2023

This paper builds both on Raymond Person’s “The Role of Non-Human Characters in Jonah” where he argues that the book of Jonah is a satire of an anthropocentric worldview and on the work of transecological notions of enmeshment. The great fish stands at the center of the text and Jonah’s transformation, but the fish itself is transformed, starting the journey as a male fish and later becoming a female fish. Queer bodies and animal bodies are often mere metaphors in literature, examples of their andro-anthropo counterparts who are the subjects of the story. By taking the fish’s transition seriously, the fish’s queer body becomes the center of the satire and cannot be dissolved as merely a device for teaching Jonah a lesson. The fish is everything that Jonah is not: a transgender or gender fluid being with a nurturing nature and a fierce obedience to God.
The Bible and the Domestication of the World
Authors: Carr David M.
Published: December 2023

Written in an agricultural context oriented around life and work with domesticated animals, the Bible’s texts, from Genesis 1 onward, endorse a picture of human destiny to farm the land and dominate other living beings. In doing so, the Bible contrasts with the cosmologies of low-domesticating indigenous cultures in privileging domesticating and domestication-like modes of relationship between sentient beings. This is not limited to the Bible’s picture of inter-species human relationships. Rather the paradigm of human domination of other beings is analogous to domestication-like relationships between genders, ethnicities and others that are naturalized in subsequent Biblical and post-Biblical texts. We even see a reflection of domesticating assumptions in the picture, across both Testaments of the Christian Bible, of God as a domesticator-like figure and God’s people as a flock that God protects and requires obedience and sacrifice from.
Reading Elisha’s She-Bears: Biblical Interpretation, Extinction Studies, and the Wildness of God
Authors: Stone Ken
Published: December 2023

Readers wrestle with the story of the two bears who maul forty-two lads taunting Elisha in 2 Kings 2:23–24. Little attention is given to the fact that bears are now extinct in Israel. This article reconsiders the passage and biblical bears in dialogue with a subgenre of animal studies known as “extinction studies.” Extinction studies in the humanities focus on “multispecies stories” about extinction over time. Using extinction studies to reexamine references to bears in the Hebrew Bible reveals ways in which the representation of bears as a dangerous threat to humans and livestock, in both biblical texts (including David’s story) and their interpretation, may contribute to the mistreatment and extinction of actual bears. Yet God is associated with bears and other wild animals in several biblical texts, including 2 Kings 2. Thus, a rereading of biblical bears also leads to reconsideration of the biblical God’s variable relationship to wildness.
The Jewish Traveler and the Protestant Shoemaker: A Hans Sachs Poem in Yiddish
Authors: Cohen Oded , Cohen Roni
Published: December 2023

This article discusses a new finding – the first known Yiddish translation of a literary piece by the famous 16th-century Meistersinger Hans Sachs (1494–1576). The translation was copied, shortly after the original piece was printed in German, as part of a manuscript that includes various lists on various topics copied by a traveling Jew named Uri ben Simon. The examination of the translation and its context in Uri ben Simon’s codex are used as an example of inter-cultural exchange in the early modern German space.
Engraved Property: The Titles and Names of Rasulid Women on Ayyubid and Mamluk Metalwork
Authors: Sadek Noha
Published: December 2023

Inscriptions containing women’s titles and names on objects are relatively rare occurrences throughout the Islamic world, whether they belong to known personalities or to unknown individuals. This article examines graffiti in the names of women from the Rasulid dynasty in Yemen (626–858/1229–1454), incised on silver-inlaid brass objects mostly made in Mamluk workshops (seventh–eighth/thirteenth–fourteenth centuries) as commissions, gifts, or purchases for the Rasulid sultans of Yemen, which have hitherto been unidentified. Moreover, the titles of these princesses also are found on Ayyubid metal objects. Although of little aesthetic value, these inscriptions hold great historical and social significance by providing details on inheritance, lineage, ownership, and the object’s history.
A new feather mite, Aetacarus elanoides sp. n. (Acari: Gabuci-niidae), from the Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus (Linnaeus) (Falconiformes: Accipitridae; Perninae)
Authors: PROCTOR HEATHER , ZIMMERMAN GINA , MEYER KENNETH
Published: December 2023

We describe a new species of the feather mite genus Aetacarus Gaud & Atyeo, 1975 from the norther n subspecies of the Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus forficatus (Linnaeus) (Falconiformes: Accipitridae) from the southeastern U.S.A. Aetacarus elanoides sp. n. differs from other described species in the genus by the following combination of features: male with terminal membranes as wide as or wider a t base than long and seta e h1 slightly spatulate a t tip; female with spatulate-mucronate seta e e2 and thick spine-like setae h1. This represents the first described feather mite from E. forficatus, and the first Aetacarus species described from a New World host.
Connecting an Offshore Dry Air Stratospheric Intrusion with the Outbreak of Soberanes Fire 2016
Authors: Clark Jodie , Chiao Sen
Published: December 2023

This study investigates the connection between the arrival of dry stratospheric air and the Soberanes Fire (2016). The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model (HYSPLIT) and Goddard Earth Observing System Forward Processing model (GEOS-FP) are used for back-trajectories and offshore deep stratospheric intrusion in conjunction with the ignition and outbreak of the fire. The back-trajectory analysis indicates that most air reaching the vertical column was critically dry, exhibiting relative humidity values below 10%. As the fire ignited, dry air arrived from due west at heights of 1–3 km about 24 h prior. During the overnight fire growth, dry air arrived from the northwest to north-northwest at heights of 3.5–5.5 km 48–72 h prior. The synoptic and GEOS-FP analyses demonstrate offshore mid-to-low stratospheric intrusion. On 21 July 2016, an enclosed upper-level low approached the California–Oregon border along the northwesterly subtropical jet stream hours before the fire outbreak. The GEOS-FP results of potential vorticity, specific humidity, and ozone along the back-trajectories to the west and northwest of the fire suggest a stratospheric intrusion event into the mid-to-low troposphere at the back-trajectory start points, and vertical velocity indicates sinking motion. The specific humidity analyzed at the arrival time shows the transport of the abnormally dry air to the Soberanes Fire. Results suggest a connection between dry stratospheric air transported to the Soberanes Fire at ignition and overnight accelerated growth, supported by a dark bank in satellite water vapor imagery. The prediction of low-level transport of dry stratospheric air to the coastal communities could help to predict the occurrence of wildfire outbreaks, or periods of accelerated fire growth.
Small Area Estimation of Poverty and Wealth Using Geospatial Data: What have We Learned So Far?
Authors: Newhouse David
Published: December 2023

This article offers a non-technical review of selected applications that combine survey and geospatial data to generate small area estimates of wealth or poverty. Publicly available data from satellites and phones predict poverty and wealth accurately across space, when evaluated against census data, and their use in model-based estimates improves the accuracy and efficiency of direct survey estimates. Models based on interpretable features appear to predict more accurately than estimates derived from convolutional neural networks. Estimates for sampled areas are significantly more accurate than those for non-sampled areas due to informative sampling. In general, estimates benefit from using geospatial data at the most disaggregated level possible. Tree-based machine learning methods appear to generate more accurate estimates than linear mixed models in common settings. Small area estimates using geospatial data can improve the design of social assistance programmes, particularly when the existing targeting system is poorly designed.

AMS subject classification: 62P20
Assessing Technical Efficiency of Cooperative Vis-à-Vis Private Dairy Plants in Andhra Pradesh, India: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis
Authors: Yadaveni Sai Ashish , Patoju Sri Krishna Sudheer
Published: December 2023

This study aims to determine the levels of production efficiencies and their determinants across India’s private and cooperative structures. Stochastic frontier modelling of a panel data sample comprising 14 plants (7 cooperatives and 7 private) in Andhra Pradesh for six years from 2013 to 2019 was considered. The production inefficiencies obtained are then modelled based on the ownership status and percentage of female employment to identify if these affect the variations in the scores. The results observed the presence of production inefficiencies under both structures, but the production efficiency was observed to rise over the period, that is, reducing inefficiencies. The results revealed a marginal but significant efficiency advantage of the cooperative plants over the private plants. The mean technical efficiency of all the firms was observed at 0.69, that of the cooperatives at 0.72 for and that of the private dairies at 0.66. This implies that the average efficiencies can be improved by 0.31 using the existing resources. The cooperative ownership of the plant and greater female employment rate was found to enhance production efficiency. The results can significantly impact policy design for both the state government and private entities. The observed advantage of cooperative ownership and greater female employment rates in enhancing production efficiency could guide policy decisions related to ownership structures and workforce diversity.

JEL Codes: C5, C880, Q1, L2