bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Usability Testing of Virtual Reality (VR)-Based Reminiscence Therapy for People with Dementia
Authors: Lau Joyce S.Y. , Tang Yuk Ming , Gao Grace , Fong Kenneth N.K. , So Billy C.L.
Published: March 2024

The prevalence of dementia is increasing due to a longer life expectancy and an ageing population. Cognitive impairment affects patients’ daily lives and places a financial and healthcare burden on them and their families. Reminiscence therapy (RT) is a non-pharmacological approach that has been found to enhance the quality of life for older adults with or without dementia. There is an urgent need for more functional and effective treatments, such as virtual reality (VR), which are becoming increasingly popular. VR in RT is a relatively new field, and this paper proposes a conceptual model for developing proof-of-concept virtual reality-based reminiscence therapy (VR-RT) for people with dementia, based on the 4Is: immersion, interaction, imagination, and impression. This model is intended to offer an alternative therapeutic experience for older adults with dementia. This paper demonstrates VR-RT in accordance with the results from the proposed 4Is model, to depict different periods of the olden days of scenes, such as restoring the historical objects and appearance of the citizens. The proposed VR-RT is then evaluated with the occupational therapists (OTs) through pilot testing. The findings reveal that VR-RT based on the proposed model may elicit a positive attitude and motivation in older adults with dementia. The proposed 4Is model serves to offer essential features for VR development, followed by a survey to identify suitable reminiscence materials and themes tailored to older adults with dementia. A pilot test with OTs revealed that VR-RT has the potential to improve the conditions of people with dementia. The research contributes valuable insights and lays the groundwork for future development of VR-RT for people with dementia.
Leading Complex Educational Change Via National Participative Reforms? A Case of Finnish Core Curriculum Reform Leadership
Authors: Salonen-Hakomäki Sanna-Mari , Soini Tiina , Pietarinen Janne , Pyhältö Kirsi
Published: March 2024

National-level educational administrators constantly face the question of how to ensure that the basic education system successfully meets complex local, national, international, and global challenges, and what is the best way to initiate and drive systemic changes in education amid such complexity and to create value for society. Studies have shown that participative approaches to reform leadership are beneficial; however, in practice, participative incentives are randomly used in national reform contexts. In this article, we present a Finnish case of national participative leadership regarding the Finnish Core Curriculum Reform of 2014 (hereafter FCCR2014). We interviewed key leaders in the FCCR2014 process (n = 23) and analyzed the data from social, personal, interpersonal, and organizational viewpoints with this question in mind: How did administrators responsible for leading the reform develop and lead the participative FCCR2014 process? Sub questions were: (1) What were their goals in developing and leading the reform, and (2) how did they succeed in developing and leading the reform in line with their goals—what was effective and what was not? The results show how participative leadership in a national curriculum reform calls for top leaders to include stakeholders, build and support strong and open collaboration processes, take the risk of losing some of their control, reject strict dichotomizations between strategy formulation and implementation, and consider change leadership a responsible act of giving stakeholders a fair chance to participate in the decision-making that affects their lives. Key aspects to participative leadership included building participation, not quasi-participation; building coherence in complexity—together; and fitting change to the education system with responsible leadership.
Analysis of cholesterol-recognition motifs of the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase
Authors: Delgado-Coello Blanca , Luna-Reyes Ismael , Méndez-Acevedo Kevin M. , Bravo-Martínez Jorge , Montalvan-Sorrosa Danai , Mas-Oliva Jaime
Published: March 2024

The plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) is crucial for the fine tuning of intracellular calcium levels in eukaryotic cells. In this study, we show the presence of CARC sequences in all human and rat PMCA isoforms and we performed further analysis by molecular dynamics simulations. This analysis focuses on PMCA1, containing three CARC motifs, and PMCA4, with four CARC domains. In PMCA1, two CARC motifs reside within transmembrane domains, while the third is situated at the intracellular interface. The simulations depict more stable RMSD values and lower RMSF fluctuations in the presence of cholesterol, emphasizing its potential stabilizing effect. In PMCA4, a distinct dynamic was found. Notably, the total energy differences between simulations with cholesterol and phospholipids are pronounced in PMCA4 compared to PMCA1. RMSD values for PMCA4 indicate a more energetically favorable conformation in the presence of cholesterol, suggesting a robust interaction between CARCs and this lipid in the membranes. Furthermore, RMSF analysis for CARCs in both PMCA isoforms exhibit lower values in the presence of cholesterol compared to POPC alone. The analysis of H-bond occupancy and total energy values strongly suggests the potential interaction of CARCs with cholesterol. Given the crucial role of PMCAs in physiological calcium regulation and their involvement in diverse pathological processes, this study underscores the significance of CARC motifs and their interaction with cholesterol in elucidating PMCA function. These insights into the energetic preferences associated with CARC-cholesterol interactions offer valuable implications for understanding PMCA function in maintaining calcium homeostasis and addressing potential associated pathologies.
Exploring the Potential of Residual Impurities in Germanium Detectors for MeV-Scale Dark Matter Detection
Authors: Mei Dongming
Published: March 2024

The direct detection of MeV-scale dark matter (DM) particles hinges on achieving an exceptionally low-energy detection threshold. Germanium (Ge) detectors, meticulously tailored with precise impurity compositions, hold the potential to enhance sensitivity to energy levels below the sub-electronvolt (sub-eV) range. This study explores the behavior of residual impurities inherent to Ge detectors at helium temperatures, unveiling a captivating freeze-out phenomenon leading to the formation of excited localized states known as dipole states. Using compelling evidence from relative capacitance measurements obtained from two detectors, we elucidate the transition of impurity atoms from free charge states to these dipole states as the temperature drops from 11 to 6.5 K. Our investigation comprehensively covers the intricate formation of these dipole states in both n-type and p-type impurities. Furthermore, we shed light on the electric field generated by these dipole states, revealing their ability to trap charges and facilitate the creation of cluster dipole states. Confirming findings from previous measurements, we establish that these excited dipole states exhibit a binding energy of less than 10 meV, offering an exceptionally low detection threshold for MeV-scale DM. Building upon this concept, we propose the development of a 1-kg Ge detector with internal charge amplification—an innovative approach poised to surpass electrical noise and enable the detection of MeV-scale DM with unprecedented sensitivity.
The Association of Prenatal Diagnoses with Mortality and Long-Term Morbidity in Children with Specific Isolated Congenital Anomalies: A European Register-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Heino Anna , Morris Joan K. , Garne Ester , Baldacci Silvia , Barisic Ingeborg , Cavero-Carbonell Clara , García-Villodre Laura , Given Joanne , Jordan Sue , Loane Maria , Lutke L. Renée , Neville Amanda J. , Santoro Michele , Scanlon Ieuan , Tan Joachim , de Walle Hermien E. K. , Kiuru-Kuhlefelt Sonja , Gissler Mika
Published: March 2024

Objectives

To compare 5-year survival rate and morbidity in children with spina bifida, transposition of great arteries (TGA), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) or gastroschisis diagnosed prenatally with those diagnosed postnatally.

Methods

Population-based registers’ data were linked to hospital and mortality databases.

Results

Children whose anomaly was diagnosed prenatally (n = 1088) had a lower mean gestational age than those diagnosed postnatally (n = 1698) ranging from 8 days for CDH to 4 days for TGA. Children with CDH had the highest infant mortality rate with a significant difference (p < 0.001) between those prenatally (359/1,000 births) and postnatally (116/1,000) diagnosed. For all four anomalies, the median length of hospital stay was significantly greater in children with a prenatal diagnosis than those postnatally diagnosed. Children with prenatally diagnosed spina bifida (79% vs 60%; p = 0.002) were more likely to have surgery in the first week of life, with an indication that this also occurred in children with CDH (79% vs 69%; p = 0.06).

Conclusions

Our findings do not show improved outcomes for prenatally diagnosed infants. For conditions where prenatal diagnoses were associated with greater mortality and morbidity, the findings might be attributed to increased detection of more severe anomalies. The increased mortality and morbidity in those diagnosed prenatally may be related to the lower mean gestational age (GA) at birth, leading to insufficient surfactant for respiratory effort. This is especially important for these four groups of children as they have to undergo anaesthesia and surgery shortly after birth. Appropriate prenatal counselling about the time and mode of delivery is needed.
Hydroponics in physiological studies of trace element tolerance and accumulation in plants focussing on metallophytes and hyperaccumulator plants
Authors: van der Ent Antony , Kopittke Peter M. , Schat Henk , Chaney Rufus L.
Published: March 2024

Background

When studying metallophytes and hyperaccumulator plants, it is often desired to assess the level of tolerance of a specific trace metal/metalloid in a putative tolerant species, to determine root and shoot accumulation of the trace metal/metalloid of interest, or to establish whether a trace metal/metalloid has an essential function. The use of hydroponics has proven to be a powerful tool in answering such questions in relation to the physiological regulation of metal/metalloids in plants. Carefully designing experiments requires considering nutrient solution formulation, dose rate regime, and environmental conditions, but this is often overlooked.

Aims

This review aims to bring together key information for hydroponics studies in physiological, evolutionary, and genetics/molecular biological research of trace metal/metalloid tolerance and accumulation in plants, focussing on metallophytes and hyperaccumulator plants.

Conclusions

It is not possible to define a ‘universal’ nutrient solution that is both sufficient and non-toxic for all plants, although it is often possible, dependent on plant species under study and the research question to be addressed, to ‘adapt’ commonly used ‘standard formulations’. Well-designed and executed hydroponics experiments can yield powerful insights in the regulation of essential and toxic metal/metalloid trace elements, and this extends far beyond hyperaccumulator plants.
Precedent and rest stop convergence in reflective equilibrium
Authors: Baumgaertner Bert , Lassiter Charles
Published: March 2024

The method of reflective equilibrium is typically characterized as a process of two kinds of adjustments: hold fixed one’s current set of commitments/intuitions and adjust rules/principles to account for them, then hold fixed those rules while making adjustments to one’s set of commitments. Repeat until no further adjustments are required. Such characterizations ignore the role of precedent, i.e., information about the commitments and rules of others and how those might serve as guides in one’s own process of deliberation. In this paper we develop a model that narrows in on a local part of a reflective equilibrium process in which a group of peer agents start with identical lists of commitments and work towards finding the rule that captures that set. If successful, we say they reach rest stop interpersonal convergence. The trouble is that, without precedent, reaching this convergence rests on implausible deterministic assumptions. We analyze how far the inclusion of a kind of soft precedent goes towards aiding the group in reaching said convergence when those assumptions are relaxed.
PanAf20K: A Large Video Dataset for Wild Ape Detection and Behaviour Recognition
Authors: Brookes Otto , Mirmehdi Majid , Stephens Colleen , Angedakin Samuel , Corogenes Katherine , Dowd Dervla , Dieguez Paula , Hicks Thurston C. , Jones Sorrel , Lee Kevin , Leinert Vera , Lapuente Juan , McCarthy Maureen S. , Meier Amelia , Murai Mizuki , Normand Emmanuelle , Vergnes Virginie , Wessling Erin G. , Wittig Roman M. , Langergraber Kevin , Maldonado Nuria , Yang Xinyu , Zuberbühler Klaus , Boesch Christophe , Arandjelovic Mimi , Kühl Hjalmar , Burghardt Tilo
Published: March 2024

We present the PanAf20K dataset, the largest and most diverse open-access annotated video dataset of great apes in their natural environment. It comprises more than 7 million frames across $$\sim $$
∼
 20,000 camera trap videos of chimpanzees and gorillas collected at 18 field sites in tropical Africa as part of the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee. The footage is accompanied by a rich set of annotations and benchmarks making it suitable for training and testing a variety of challenging and ecologically important computer vision tasks including ape detection and behaviour recognition. Furthering AI analysis of camera trap information is critical given the International Union for Conservation of Nature now lists all species in the great ape family as either Endangered or Critically Endangered. We hope the dataset can form a solid basis for engagement of the AI community to improve performance, efficiency, and result interpretation in order to support assessments of great ape presence, abundance, distribution, and behaviour and thereby aid conservation efforts. The dataset and code are available from the project website: PanAf20K
Surface conditioning in machining: optimizing component performance through advanced process modeling and control
Authors: González Germán , Schulze Volker
Published: March 2024

This Special Issue showcases a broad spectrum of fundamental research targeting the in-line measurement and assessment of surface conditions in machining operations. It presents and discusses various measurement approaches, including those based on acoustic emission, micromagnetic fields, the Seebeck effect, and other techniques. These methods are explored for their effectiveness in assessing and ensuring the quality of machined surfaces. The collected research delves into surface modeling techniques and investigates diverse strategies for predicting the effects of process parameters on surface integrity. It also focuses on the strategic selection of these parameters to enhance final component performance. There is a significant emphasis on the evolution of in-process control methods, which are crucial for elevating the quality and functionality of machined surfaces and facilitating unmanned manufacturing. These advancements are instrumental in improving manufacturing efficiency and augmenting the quality of the final products.
On Perturbation of Operators and Rayleigh-Schrödinger Coefficients
Authors: Carlsson Marcus , Rubin Olof
Published: March 2024

Let A and E be self-adjoint matrices or operators on $$\ell ^2({{\mathbb {N}}})$$

ℓ
2

(
N
)

, where A is fixed and E is a small perturbation. We study how the eigenvalues of $$A+E$$

A
+
E

depend on E, with the aim of obtaining second order formulas that are explicitly computable in terms of the spectral decomposition of A and a certain block decomposition of E. In particular we extend the classical Rayleigh-Schrödinger formulas for the one-parameter perturbation $$A+tE$$

A
+
t
E

where $$t\in {{\mathbb {R}}}$$

t
∈
R

varies and E is held fixed, by dropping t and considering E as the variable.
Effect of Sequential Treatment of Plasma Activated Water and Bacteriophage on Decontamination of Salmonella Typhimurium in Lettuce
Authors: Evran Eylul , Dasan Beyhan Gunaydin , Tayyarcan Emine Kubra , Boyaci Ismail Hakki
Published: March 2024

Ensuring food safety measures are essential to minimize the risk of foodborne diseases linked to raw food products. Here, we investigated the efficacy of an innovative approach for the control of Salmonella Typhimurium found in fresh produces. Plasma activated water (PAW) and bacteriophages are emerging effective and valuable alternative methods for microbiological decontamination. The efficacy of PAW and a lytic bacteriophage (109 PFU/mL), both separately and sequentially, against S. Typhimurium in fresh produce was investigated. S. Typhimurium (105–107 CFU/g) were inoculated on lettuce leaves and treated with PAW, S. Typhimurium phage SK-T2 or their combination. PAW or bacteriophage inactivated S. Typhimurium, on lettuce leaves at different initial populations, by 2.90–3.46 or 1.45–3.25 log CFU/g, respectively. After sequential treatments of PAW and bacteriophage, S. Typhimurium populations, initially applied at ~ 105 CFU/g reduced by 4.47 log CFU/g, but when the order of application was changed (i.e., bacteriophage followed by PAW), the combination synergistically decreased the Salmonella numbers below the detection limit of the method used for the enumeration (i.e., < 101 CFU/g). At the high-level inoculum (~ 7 log CFU/g), consecutive treatments of PAW and phage decreased the S. Typhimurium population by 3.28 log CFU/g, and a reduction of 6.20 log CFU/g was achieved after reversing the order of treatment. Regardless of the bacterial inoculum level, sequential applications of bacteriophage and PAW resulted in a higher level of inactivation. This study proved that the bacteriophage–PAW combination constitutes a promising alternative approach to the conventional washing process in fresh produce wash waters in the food industry.

Graphical Abstract
Comparison of tree-based ensemble learning algorithms for landslide susceptibility mapping in Murgul (Artvin), Turkey
Authors: Usta Ziya , Akıncı Halil , Akın Alper Tunga
Published: March 2024

Turkey’s Artvin province is prone to landslides due to its geological structure, rugged topography, and climatic characteristics with intense rainfall. In this study, landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) of Murgul district in Artvin province were produced. The study employed tree-based ensemble learning algorithms, namely Random Forest (RF), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), Categorical Boosting (CatBoost), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). LSM was performed using 13 factors, including altitude, aspect, distance to drainage, distance to faults, distance to roads, land cover, lithology, plan curvature, profile curvature, slope, slope length, topographic position index (TPI), and topographic wetness index (TWI). The study utilized a landslide inventory consisting of 54 landslide polygons. Landslide inventory dataset contained 92,446 pixels with a spatial resolution of 10 m. Consistent with the literature, the majority of landslide pixels (70% – 64,712 pixels) were used for model training, and the remaining portion (30% – 27,734 pixels) was used for model validation. Overall accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, root mean square error (RMSE), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) were considered as validation metrics. LightGBM and XGBoost were found to have better performance in all validation metrics compared to other algorithms. Additionally, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) were utilized to explain and interpret the model outputs. As per the LightGBM algorithm, the most influential factors in the occurrence of landslide in the study area were determined to be altitude, lithology, distance to faults, and aspect, whereas TWI, plan and profile curvature were identified as the least influential factors. Finally, it was concluded that the produced LSMs would provide significant contributions to decision makers in reducing the damages caused by landslides in the study area.
Laser metal deposition of titanium on stainless steel with high powder flowrate for high interfacial strength
Authors: Cui Di , Aggarwal Akash , Leparoux Marc
Published: March 2024

Direct joining of titanium and stainless steel 316 L with a strong interface is very challenging due to the formation of the brittle intermetallic compounds FeTi and Fe2Ti in the intermixing zones and to the high residual stress induced by the mismatch of the thermal expansion coefficients. In this bimetallic directed energy deposition study, firstly, deposition of Ti on stainless steel was carried out using conventional process parameter regime to understand the interfacial cracking susceptibility and then a novel high powder flowrate approach is proposed for controlling the dilution and constraining the intermetallic phases forming at the interface. The influence of high temperature substrate preheating (520 °C) on the cracking susceptibility and interface strength was also investigated. The deposited Ti samples and their interfaces with the 316 L substrate were characterized with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to investigate the geometry, microstructures and chemical compositions in relation to the cracks. The high powder flowrate deposition of Ti on stainless steel 316 L results in an extremely thin dilution region (~ 10 μm melt pool depth in the substrate) restricting the formation of the intermetallic phases and cracks. The ultimate shear strength of the interfaces of the crack free sample was measured from cuboid deposits and the highest measured strength is 381 ± 24 MPa, exceeding the weaker base material pure Ti. The high interfacial strength for high powder flowrate deposition is due to the substantial attenuation and shadowing of the laser beam by the in-flight powder stream as demonstrated by the high-speed imaging resulting in an extremely small dilution region.
CHARON: An Imaging-Based Diagnostic Algorithm to Navigate Through the Sea of Hereditary Degenerative Ataxias
Authors: Scaravilli Alessandra , Tranfa Mario , Pontillo Giuseppe , Brais Bernard , De Michele Giovanna , La Piana Roberta , Saccà Francesco , Santorelli Filippo Maria , Synofzik Matthis , Brunetti Arturo , Cocozza Sirio
Published: March 2024

The complexity in diagnosing hereditary degenerative ataxias lies not only in their rarity, but also in the variety of different genetic conditions that can determine sometimes similar and overlapping clinical findings. In this light, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays a key role in the evaluation of these conditions, being a fundamental diagnostic tool needed not only to exclude other causes determining the observed clinical phenotype, but also to proper guide to an adequate genetic testing. Here, we propose an MRI-based diagnostic algorithm named CHARON (Characterization of Hereditary Ataxias Relying On Neuroimaging), to help in disentangling among the numerous, and apparently very similar, hereditary degenerative ataxias. Being conceived from a neuroradiological standpoint, it is based primarily on an accurate evaluation of the observed MRI findings, with the first and most important being the pattern of cerebellar atrophy. Along with the evaluation of the presence, or absence, of additional signal changes and/or supratentorial involvement, CHARON allows for the identification of a small groups of ataxias sharing similar imaging features. The integration of additional MRI findings, demographic, clinical and laboratory data allow then for the identification of typical, and in some cases pathognomonic, phenotypes of hereditary ataxias.
Development and field application of a jetting and helical combination tool
Authors: Huanle L. I. U. , Shifeng X. U. E. , Zhiyang S. U. N. , Chao Zhou
Published: March 2024

Liquid loading occurs in gas wells after a period of production, and the vortex drainage gas recovery technology can alleviate this problem by removing liquid. To substantially enhance the efficiency of this technology, a novel tool combining jetting and helical mechanisms has been introduced. To validate its effectiveness, a laboratory system for detailed analysis of pressure drops by using various tools at multiple gas flow rates has been set up. The analysis approach encompasses both single-factor and orthogonal analyses of tool structure parameters to find out the optimal tool structural parameters under different operating conditions. Consequently, a correlation between the gas flow rates observed in controlled laboratory environments and those in actual gas wells has been established. The study indicates that the tool’s main structural parameters significantly impact pressure drops along the wellbore. Furthermore, it is evident that distinct well profiles require unique tool setups to minimize such pressure drop. Field tests of the optimized tool have shown notable enhancements: The average gas flow rate increased by 25.9%, reaching 5.39 × 104 m3/d (1.90 × 106 scf/d), while the average liquid flow rate increased by 20.1%, reaching 1.46 m3/d (9.18 bbl/d). These results highlight the superior drainage stimulation effect of the new jetting and helical combination tool, presenting novel insights and methodologies for enhancing gas recovery in liquid-loaded gas wells.
Patient-Specific Haemodynamic Analysis of Virtual Grafting Strategies in Type-B Aortic Dissection: Impact of Compliance Mismatch
Authors: Girardin Louis , Stokes Catriona , Thet Myat Soe , Oo Aung Ye , Balabani Stavroula , Díaz-Zuccarini Vanessa
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Compliance mismatch between the aortic wall and Dacron Grafts is a clinical problem concerning aortic haemodynamics and morphological degeneration. The aortic stiffness introduced by grafts can lead to an increased left ventricular (LV) afterload. This study quantifies the impact of compliance mismatch by virtually testing different Type-B aortic dissection (TBAD) surgical grafting strategies in patient-specific, compliant computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.

Materials and Methods

A post-operative case of TBAD was segmented from computed tomography angiography data. Three virtual surgeries were generated using different grafts; two additional cases with compliant grafts were assessed. Compliant CFD simulations were performed using a patient-specific inlet flow rate and three-element Windkessel outlet boundary conditions informed by 2D-Flow MRI data. The wall compliance was calibrated using Cine-MRI images. Pressure, wall shear stress (WSS) indices and energy loss (EL) were computed.

Results

Increased aortic stiffness and longer grafts increased aortic pressure and EL. Implementing a compliant graft matching the aortic compliance of the patient reduced the pulse pressure by 11% and EL by 4%. The endothelial cell activation potential (ECAP) differed the most within the aneurysm, where the maximum percentage difference between the reference case and the mid (MDA) and complete (CDA) descending aorta replacements increased by 16% and 20%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study suggests that by minimising graft length and matching its compliance to the native aorta whilst aligning with surgical requirements, the risk of LV hypertrophy may be reduced. This provides evidence that compliance-matching grafts may enhance patient outcomes.
A lightweight contour detection network inspired by biology
Authors: Lin Chuan , Zhang Zhenguang , Peng Jiansheng , Li Fuzhang , Pan Yongcai , Zhang Yuwei
Published: March 2024

In recent years, the field of bionics has attracted the attention of numerous scholars. Some models combined with biological vision have achieved excellent performance in computer vision and image processing tasks. In this paper, we propose a new bio-inspired lightweight contour detection network (BLCDNet) by combining parallel processing mechanisms of bio-visual information with convolutional neural networks. The backbone network of BLCDNet simulates the parallel pathways of ganglion cell–lateral geniculate nucleus and primary visual cortex (V1) area, realizing parallel processing and step-by-step extraction of input information, effectively extracting local features and detailed features in images, and thus improving the overall performance of the model. In addition, we design a depth feature extraction module combining depth separable convolution and residual connection in the decoding network to integrate the output of the backbone network, which further improves the performance of the model. We conducted a large number of experiments on BSDS500 and NYUD datasets, and the experimental results show that the BLCDNet proposed in this paper achieves the best performance compared with traditional methods and previous biologically inspired contour detection methods. In addition, BLCDNet still outperforms some VGG-based contour detection methods without pre-training and with fewer parameters, and it is competitive among all of them. The research in this paper also provides a new idea for the combination of biological vision and convolutional neural networks.
Purging the Judiciary After a Transition: Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Authors: Šipulová Katarína , Kosař David
Published: March 2024

Judges play a key role in the implementation of transitional justice mechanisms. Yet, less attention has been paid so far to the question of how to address their collaboration with non-democratic regimes. In theory, judges can be subjected to virtually all transitional justice mechanisms ranging from criminal prosecution and lustration to truth-seeking, or even amnesties. However, we show in a case study of Czechia that these mechanisms are not well equipped to address the complicity of judges in past crimes for three reasons: (1) judges usually play different roles in past crimes from political elites, (2) the principles of the separation of powers and judicial independence preclude the easy replacement of judges, and (3) pragmatic exigencies, such as the shortage of lawyers who are not tainted by cooperation with the previous regime, further complicate the renewal of the bench. Nevertheless, we argue that the lack of recognition of the role judges have played in non-democratic regimes is dangerous, as it may negatively affect public confidence in the judiciary and taint its legitimacy. Examples from Hungary, Poland and Romania, moreover, show that populist leaders are tempted to abuse the transitional justice rhetoric use the failure to deal with the past of judges as a justification for their court-curbing practices. Post-transition purges are therefore stuck between a rock (interfering in judicial independence and practical exigencies) and a hard place (mental dependence of the judiciary on the previous regime, low public trust in courts). When the democratic opposition defeats the populist leader, such as in Poland in 2023, it unfortunately faces the same dilemma. Thus, the Czech way of dealing with the past within the judiciary in transition from communism to democracy (transition 1.0) provides important insights also for today’s undoing of populist judicial reforms and transition from authoritarian populism to democracy (transition 2.0).
Ionic Liquid-Enhanced Assembly of Nanomaterials for Highly Stable Flexible Transparent Electrodes
Authors: Yang Jianmin , Chang Li , Zhang Xiqi , Cao Ziquan , Jiang Lei
Published: March 2024

The controlled assembly of nanomaterials has demonstrated significant potential in advancing technological devices. However, achieving highly efficient and low-loss assembly technique for nanomaterials, enabling the creation of hierarchical structures with distinctive functionalities, remains a formidable challenge. Here, we present a method for nanomaterial assembly enhanced by ionic liquids, which enables the fabrication of highly stable, flexible, and transparent electrodes featuring an organized layered structure. The utilization of hydrophobic and nonvolatile ionic liquids facilitates the production of stable interfaces with water, effectively preventing the sedimentation of 1D/2D nanomaterials assembled at the interface. Furthermore, the interfacially assembled nanomaterial monolayer exhibits an alternate self-climbing behavior, enabling layer-by-layer transfer and the formation of a well-ordered MXene-wrapped silver nanowire network film. The resulting composite film not only demonstrates exceptional photoelectric performance with a sheet resistance of 9.4 Ω sq−1 and 93% transmittance, but also showcases remarkable environmental stability and mechanical flexibility. Particularly noteworthy is its application in transparent electromagnetic interference shielding materials and triboelectric nanogenerator devices. This research introduces an innovative approach to manufacture and tailor functional devices based on ordered nanomaterials.
Enabling an Inorganic-Rich Interface via Cationic Surfactant for High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Sun Zejun , Yang Jinlin , Xu Hongfei , Jiang Chonglai , Niu Yuxiang , Lian Xu , Liu Yuan , Su Ruiqi , Liu Dayu , Long Yu , Wang Meng , Mao Jingyu , Yang Haotian , Cui Baihua , Xiao Yukun , Chen Ganwen , Zhang Qi , Xing Zhenxiang , Pan Jisheng , Wu Gang , Chen Wei
Published: March 2024

An anion-rich electric double layer (EDL) region is favorable for fabricating an inorganic-rich solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) towards stable lithium metal anode in ester electrolyte. Herein, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant, is adopted to draw more anions into EDL by ionic interactions that shield the repelling force on anions during lithium plating. In situ electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy results combined with molecular dynamics simulations validate the enrichment of NO3−/FSI− anions in the EDL region due to the positively charged CTA+. In-depth analysis of SEI structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry results confirmed the formation of the inorganic-rich SEI, which helps improve the kinetics of Li+ transfer, lower the charge transfer activation energy, and homogenize Li deposition. As a result, the Li||Li symmetric cell in the designed electrolyte displays a prolongated cycling time from 500 to 1300 h compared to that in the blank electrolyte at 0.5 mA cm−2 with a capacity of 1 mAh cm−2. Moreover, Li||LiFePO4 and Li||LiCoO2 with a high cathode mass loading of > 10 mg cm−2 can be stably cycled over 180 cycles.
The efficacy of ZnO-NPs prepared via green route against colon and breast cancer cells
Authors: Kahil Heba , Gad Mohamed S. , Ebraheem Hadir
Published: March 2024

This study is an attempt to utilize green tea [GT] extract and pomegranate peel [PP] for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles. The selected plants are rich in phenols therefore are awaited to successfully synthesize ZnO nanoparticles without the need for an alkylating agent. In addition, these extracts contain various functional groups that confer colloidal stability for nanoparticles and ameliorate their biocompatibility via a one pot synthesis route. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques are used to investigate both structural and morphological properties of the obtained nanoparticles [Zn-GT and Zn-PP]. To confirm the presence of functional groups adsorbed on the surface of biogenic-NPs, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed. The outcomes demonstrated that only the use of green tea extract was successful in synthesizing zinc oxide from the zinc acetate dihydrate precursor, producing particles with an average size of approximately 25 nm. Anticancer activity and cytotoxicity of the biosynthesized Zn-GT nanoparticles were assessed against human breast cancer [MCF7] and colorectal carcinoma [HCT116] cell lines. The cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles is presented with reference to normal skin [BJ1] cell line subjected to similar concentrations of the NPs. The obtained results verified a discriminative inhibition of both MCF7 and HCT116 cancer cell growth upon using Zn-GT, which completely succeeded in preventing cancer cell growth.
On the Expected Cost of Partial Match Queries in Random Quad-K-d Trees
Authors: Duch Amalia , Martínez Conrado
Published: March 2024

Quad-$$K$$
K
-d trees introduced by Bereckzy et al. (In: Proceedings of the 11th Latin merican Theoretical Informatics Conference (LATIN). Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 8392, pp. 743–754, 2014) are a generalization of several well-known hierarchical multidimensional data structures. They provide a unified framework for the analysis of associative queries, and they are specially suitable to investigate the trade-offs between the cost of different operations and the memory needs (each node x of a quad-$$K$$
K
-d tree has arity $$2^{m(x)}$$

2

m
(
x
)

for some m(x), $$1\le m(x)\le K$$

1
≤
m
(
x
)
≤
K

). Indeed, we consider here partial match—one of the fundamental associative queries for several families of quad-$$K$$
K
-d trees including, among others, relaxed K-d trees and quadtrees. In particular, we prove that the expected cost $$\hat{P}_{n}$$

P
^

n

of a random partial match query that has s out of K specified coordinates in a random quad-$$K$$
K
-d tree of size n is $$\hat{P}_{n}\sim \beta \cdot n^\alpha $$

P
^

n

∼
β
·

n
α

, where $$\alpha $$
α
and $$\beta $$
β
are constants given in terms of K and s as well as additional parameters that characterize the specific family of quad-$$K$$
K
-d trees under consideration. Additionally, we derive a precise asymptotic estimate for the main order term of the expected cost $$P_{n,\textbf{q}}$$

P

n
,
q

of a fixed partial match with query $$\textbf{q}$$
q
in a random quad-$$K$$
K
-d tree of size n. The techniques used to derive the mentioned costs are those already applied successfully to derive analogous results in quadtrees and relaxed K-d trees; our results show that the previous results are just particular cases and prove the validity of the conjecture made in Duch et al. (In: Proceedings of the 12th Latin American Theoretical Informatics Conference (LATIN). Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 9644, pp. 376–389, 2016) for a wider variety of multidimensional data structures.
Acquisition and extinction of human avoidance behavior: attenuating effects of omission contingencies of appetitive, aversive and warning cues
Authors: Allen Michael Todd , Sheynin Jony , Myers Catherine E.
Published: March 2024

Recently, there has been a renewed interest in avoidance behavior, and its applicability to clinical conditions such as anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and addiction. In a computer-based avoidance task for humans, participants control an on-screen spaceship, shoot at enemy targets (appetitive cue) to gain points, and learn to respond to an on-screen warning signal (WS) by entering safe “hiding” areas to escape/avoid an aversive event (point loss and on-screen explosion) paired with an on-screen aversive cue (bomb). Prior research on active avoidance in rodents suggests that avoidance learning is facilitated if the response also terminates the WS. Here, we adapted the computer-based task to investigate this idea in healthy humans. Two hundred and twenty-two young adults completed one of three conditions of the task: a non-contingent condition, where hiding caused omission/avoidance of the aversive event but did not terminate the WS; a fully-contingent condition, where hiding also caused omission/termination of all on-screen appetitive and aversive cues as well as terminating the WS; and a partially-contingent condition where hiding caused omission of the appetitive and aversive cues, but did not affect the WS. Both contingency manipulations decreased escape/avoidance behavior, as compared to the non-contingent condition where the WS and other cues are not affected by the avoidance behavior. This study has implications for the basic understanding of the mechanisms that affect avoidance behavior in humans.
Feminist Ethics
Authors: Superson Anita M.
Published: March 2024

Feminist Ethics provides an overview of feminist contributions to normative ethics, moral psychology, and metaethics. It argues that through their criticisms of traditional ethics and proposals for changes, feminists are advancing 'robust agency,' an account of ideal moral and rational agency that promises to give us better responses than those given in traditional ethics to problems in ethics, including how we know our duties, the kind of persons we should strive to become, and why we should act morally.
Perfect sampling of stochastic matching models with reneging
Authors: Masanet Thomas , Moyal Pascal
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we introduce a slight variation of the dominated-coupling-from-the-past (DCFTP) algorithm of Kendall, for bounded Markov chains. It is based on the control of a (typically non-monotonic) stochastic recursion by another (typically monotonic) one. We show that this algorithm is particularly suitable for stochastic matching models with bounded patience, a class of models for which the steady-state distribution of the system is in general unknown in closed form. We first show that the Markov chain of this model can easily be controlled by an infinite-server queue. We then investigate the particular case where patience times are deterministic, and this control argument may fail. In that case we resort to an ad-hoc technique that can also be seen as a control (this time, by the arrival sequence). We then compare this algorithm to the primitive coupling-from-the-past (CFTP) algorithm and to control by an infinite-server queue, and show how our perfect simulation results can be used to estimate and compare, for instance, the loss probabilities of various systems in equilibrium.
Endless History: Hegel's Flawed Account of Amerindians
Authors: Campello Filipe
Published: March 2024

In this article, I argue that Hegel's treatment of Amerindian peoples is rooted in an exclusionary perspective of Reason, which establishes a particular form of life as its defining standard-bearer. This stance results in a distinct form of epistemic misrecognition and injustice that disregards the potential contributions of Amerindian resources and worldviews to the lexicon stablished throughout the modernity. To present an alternative viewpoint, I examine the insights of Yanomami shaman Davi Kopenawa, whose pluriversal conception of reason and history challenges one-sided portrayals of rationality. My aim is not to ‘fit’ Amerindian concepts into our familiar modern philosophical vocabulary. Instead, I wish to consider Hegel's philosophy through the lens of encounters and epistemic recognition with those who have been denied it. In particular, the application of an ‘ethnographic pact’ as a mode of translation constitutes a valuable contribution to ongoing decolonial discussions. I assert that this approach calls into question Hegel's notions of progress and universal reason, suggesting that his philosophy of history might have taken a divergent path if it had not been entangled in a self-centric epistemic framework. While these considerations remain subject to further development, they offer a fresh perspective for comprehending Hegel's argument beyond his own epistemic limitations.
The Isfahan Anthology Project
Authors: Ahmadi Nozhat , Babayan Kathryn
Published: March 2024

The aim of the Isfahan Anthology Project is to create an inventory of, collect, and digitize all extant anthologies produced in seventeenth-century Isfahan. Thousands of majmuʿa were authored and assembled in Isfahan. Presently, we are working together with our graduate students at the University of Isfahan and the University of Michigan in a collaboration that intends to train a new generation of Safavid historians who will continue this digital project into the future. We have begun the vast project of collecting and generating tables of contents for anthologies housed in the capital's most prominent public libraries—Tehran University Library, Majlis Library, Malik Library, and the National (Milli) Library of Iran—to begin our analysis of their anthology collections. Adapting our work to include reconnaissance, we have taken careful account of the content and organization of these anthologies so that we can create a digital and searchable database of Isfahan's anthologies that allows fellow scholars and graduate students across the world to freely have access to these rich Persianate-world sources.
Andre Godard and Maxime Siroux: Disentangling the Narrative of French Colonialism and Modern Architecture in Iran
Authors: Salari Sardari Mohadeseh
Published: March 2024

This paper investigates the impact of two French architects, Andre Godard and Maxime Siroux, in early twentieth-century Iran using postcolonial methodology to challenge the reductive prevailing narrative of these architects as representatives of Western imperial powers. Furthermore, this paper argues for the existence of a distinct local modernism in Iran, highlights the enduring presence of Iranian architectural traditions throughout different historical periods, and argues against the narrative of modern architectural works in Iran as simplistic hybrids of pre-Islamic Iranian architecture and Western modernism. In addition, this research underscores the role of Iranian intellectuals in shaping the cultural and social movements that led to the broader modernization of Iran and modernism in Iranian architecture.
Mapping hidden journeys of Gambian migration and return
Authors: Kea Pamela
Published: March 2024

Countering the focus on crisis and irregularity that frames dominant representations of African migration to Europe, this article explores Gambian migrant women’s journeys of return. It is argued that Gambian women returnees’ financial resources, levels of education, kinship relations and social networks have positioned them in such a way that they can benefit from the opportunities and possibilities in The Gambia, thereby influencing their decisions to return. Significantly, their positions have helped them to negotiate and, in some instances, challenge gendered expectations and relations in their experiences on return. Further, the exchange of knowledge and their transnational networks and connections place the global South and the global North as co-constitutive elements in the development of their work and their gendered subjectivities. As such, I focus on the analytical purchase that the concept of return affords, as well as its political possibilities. The article contributes to existing scholarship on migration by highlighting the importance of returnees’ multiple subjectivities in both their decisions to return and their experiences on return. In addition, I foreground the contributions that returnees make to the places to which they have migrated, thereby challenging representations of African migrants as deficient and of Africa as a place of absence.