bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Advancing cooperation in Health Technology Assessment in Europe: insights from the EUnetHTA 21 project amidst the evolving legal landscape of European HTA
Authors: Urbina Irene , Adams Roisin , Fernandez Judith , Willemsen Anne , Hedberg Niklas , Rüther Alric 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in Europe has undergone significant evolution, culminating in the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2021/2282 on HTA (HTAR) aimed at fostering sustainable collaboration in HTA at the European Union (EU) level. The EUnetHTA 21 project, a 2-year initiative, was commissioned to address key methodological issues and prepare for the implementation of the HTAR. This commentary documents the outcomes of the EUnetHTA 21 project, focusing on Joint Clinical Assessments (JCAs), while analyzing challenges encountered and lessons learned for future collaboration under the HTAR. The EUnetHTA 21 consortium, comprising thirteen European HTA bodies, developed twenty guidance documents and thirteen templates, refining methods and procedures for joint work in HTA at EU level. Pilot JCAs and Joint Scientific Consultations were conducted to test these materials. Lessons learned from this experience emphasize the importance of inclusive consensus building, effective time and resource management, capacity building, and continuous quality improvement. The project’s realization underscores a collective commitment among HTA bodies to continue to collaborate, now under a legal framework. Recommendations from the project, along with experiences gained from previous European Network for HTA (EUnetHTA) Joint Actions, provide a foundation for developing guidance for EU-HTA under the HTAR. Further proactive efforts at national and central levels are essential to coordinate and ensure a sustainable cooperation. The EUnetHTA 21 experience provides valuable insights for advancing cooperation in HTA under the HTAR, aiming to improve the quality of HTA, avoid duplication, and ultimately enhance patient access to safe and effective health technologies in the EU.
Remote collection of language samples from three-year-olds
Authors: Jo Jinyoung , Sundara Megha 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
We characterised language samples collected remotely from typically developing three-year-olds by comparing them against independent language samples collected in person from age-matched peers with and without language delays. Forty-eight typically developing, English-learning three-year-olds were administered a picture description task via Zoom. The in-person comparison groups were two sets of independent language samples from age-matched typically developing as well as language-delayed children available on the Child Language Data Exchange System. The findings show that although language samples collected remotely from three-year-olds yield numerically dissimilar lexical and grammatical measures compared to samples collected in person, they still consistently distinguish toddlers with and without language delays.
Living with impunity versus living in fear: Universal jurisdiction defendants, due process, and the use of democracies by autocracies to prosecute their opponents
Authors: Bryce Natalie M. , Johns Leslie , Langer Máximo 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
This article introduces a new analytical category to provide a more accurate, comprehensive, and nuanced account of universal jurisdiction defendants: defendants living in fear. In contrast to defendants living with impunity, defendants living in fear are defendants whose home state is very much willing and able to prosecute and punish them. Using an original database, this article shows that there is a substantial number of universal jurisdiction defendants who live in fear, and that their percentage has increased since the early 2000s. The article also shows that defendants living in fear are more than ten times more likely to be arrested and more than 30 times more likely to be tried than defendants living with impunity.
In addition, this article argues that the function and justification of universal jurisdiction for defendants living in fear is not (only) the traditional justification of avoiding impunity, but (also) providing a fair trial that prevents wrongful convictions, and then assigning proportionate punishment if the defendant is found guilty.
Finally, this article discusses what democracies should do with living-in-fear cases to avoid being instruments of autocratic regimes that often prompt or encourage universal jurisdiction cases in other states against their military and political opponents.
Environmental constraints on the origin of life based on membrane formation: the role of salinity
Authors: Ginter Taren , Dujardin Alix , Roumans Sanne , Rothschild Lynn J. , Rheinstädter Maikel C. 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The environmental conditions for the origin of life are still not well-constrained, but membrane-bound structures must have been key to the origin of life. Membranes composed of fatty acids are promising candidates due to their simplicity and plausible prevalence in prebiotic environments. To assess the stability of membranes composed of fatty acids with tail lengths ranging from 12 to 16 carbons at different temperatures and sodium chloride concentrations that may have existed on the early Earth, we conducted all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In the absence of salt (freshwater), none of the fatty acids exhibited bilayer formation, whether below or above their chain melting temperature. However, elevating the salt concentration from 0.15 M (saline solution), 0.5 M (seawater), 1 M (seawater tide pools), 3 M (salty tide pools) and 5 M (Dead Sea) resulted in the formation of stable bilayers. The 16-carbon fatty acid required lower salt concentration, while shorter, 12-carbon chain necessitated higher salt levels. Increasing the salt concentration led to three main effects: (1) increased bilayer thickness, (2) reduced area per fatty acid and (3) elevated deuterium order parameter of the chains, resulting in more robust membranes. Our simulations indicated that the salt cations aggregated on the bilayer surfaces, effectively mitigating repulsive interactions among hydrophilic fatty acid head groups. These findings suggest that fatty acid bilayers are more likely present in ancient waters connected to saltwater reservoirs, or seawater tide pools with elevated salt concentrations.
The Analysis and the Impact of Surface Temperature Anomalies on the Health of Residents in the River Niger Basin Development Authority Area, West Africa
Authors: Akinnubi R. T. , Adegbo K. J. , Ojo M. O. , Ajakaiye M. P. , Sabejeje A. J. , Aramide J. O. , Akinnubi T. D. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of surface temperature anomalies on the health of residents within the River Niger Basin Development Authority (RIBDA) enclave, which covers Nigeria, Niger, and Mali in West Africa, with a focus on the regional implications for public health. Historical climate data from 1985 to 2014, sourced from the Climatic Research Unit Time‐Series, Version 3.22 (CRU TS 3.22), was analyzed to comprehend past climate patterns and establish a baseline for future comparisons. Predictions for future climate conditions (2015–2044) were derived by adjusting the CRU data using temperature projections from the Community Climate System Model 4 under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 scenario. To assess the potential impacts of these climate changes, particularly during the boreal summer season of July‐August‐September (JAS), the study utilized the Hydrology, Entomology, and Malaria Transmission Simulator (HYDREMATS). Findings indicate that surface temperature can intricately influence disease transmission, with varied effects on parameters such as Ro, EIR, prevalence, and immunity index. Observations revealed fluctuations in temperature anomalies over the years, with negative anomalies in 1991–1995 and positive anomalies in subsequent years. Although precise predictions for 2016–2044 are challenging based solely on data trends from 1985 to 2015, continued temperature rises could potentially lead to increased disease prevalence and decreased immunity index. Moreover, the analysis identified a notable temporal increase in mean annual temperature and mean annual maximum temperature from 1999 to 2020, suggesting a faster warming trend in maximum temperatures compared to minimum temperatures. This increase in temperature variability may alter the onset and cessation dates of the rainy season, affecting water availability, accessibility, and consumption, consequently fostering conditions conducive to health‐related diseases. By incorporating predicted long‐term temperature changes due to greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining current inter‐annual climate patterns, this approach allows researchers to anticipate potential future health implications in the studied regions.
Summertime Continental Shallow Cumulus Cloud Detection Using GOES‐16 Satellite and Ground‐Based Ceilometer at North Alabama
Authors: Tian Jingjing , Zhang Yunyan , Knupp Kevin , Pangle Preston , Comstock Jennifer 
Published: December 2024

AbstractAccurate simulations of boundary layer cloud processes remain challenging in Earth system modeling. Observations are essential to evaluate and improve models of such processes. This study introduces a comprehensive validation framework for a satellite‐based detection algorithm of continental shallow cumulus (ShCu) clouds during the daytime, which was initially developed using ground‐based observations of stereo cameras at the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains site (J. Tian et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13122309, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gl097070). To validate this algorithm, the framework employs ground‐based ceilometer measurements from North Alabama (NA) where ShCu populations are prevalent. This study first generates clear‐sky surface reflectance maps at NA and identifies ShCu pixels with a detection threshold using Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) reflectance data. The obtained cloud fractions (CFs) are then compared against CFs from a ground‐based ceilometer, considering factors such as observed area differences, satellite parallax issue, and systematic biases. We found that with a detection threshold (∆R) of 0.05, the ShCu detection algorithm is effective for NA, enabling the reproduction of hourly ShCu CFs using GOES. Our framework is straightforward and easily repeatable to evaluate the effectiveness of a ∆R threshold for detecting ShCu clouds in various geographic regions where ceilometers are deployed. This satellite detection of ShCu provides a crucial regional context for ground‐based measurements, facilitating the tracking of convection initiation and its coupling with land surface conditions. Integrating localized ground‐based and regional satellite data will enhance our ability to conduct thorough studies of cloud morphology and land‐atmosphere interactions in North Alabama.
Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p18 regulates lineage transitions of excitatory neurons, astrocytes, and interneurons in the mouse cortex
Authors: Lee Wonyoung , Kang Byunghee , Kim Hyo-Min , Ishida Tsuyoshi , Shin Minkyung , Iwashita Misato , Nitta Masahiro , Shiraishi Aki , Kiyonari Hiroshi , Shimoya Koichiro , Masamoto Kazuto , Roh Tae-Young , Kosodo Yoichi 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) can give rise to both neurons and glia, but the regulatory mechanisms governing their differentiation transitions remain incompletely understood. Here, we address the role of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) in the later stages of dorsal cortical development. We find that the CDKIs p18 and p27 are upregulated at the onset of astrocyte generation. Acute manipulation of p18 and p27 levels shows that CDKIs modulate lineage switching between upper-layer neurons and astrocytes at the transitional stage. We generate a conditional knock-in mouse model to induce p18 in NSCs. The transcriptomic deconvolution of microdissected tissue reveals that increased levels of p18 promote glial cell development and activate Delta-Notch signaling. Furthermore, we show that p18 upregulates the homeobox transcription factor Dlx2 to subsequently induce the differentiation of olfactory bulb interneurons while reducing the numbers of upper-layer neurons and astrocytes at the perinatal stage. Clonal analysis using transposon-based reporters reveals that the transition from the astrocyte to the interneuron lineage is potentiated by p18 at the single-cell level. In sum, our study reports a function of p18 in determining the developmental boundaries among different cellular lineages arising sequentially from NSCs in the dorsal cortex.
Transposable element activity captures human pluripotent cell states
Authors: Levin-Ferreyra Florencia , Kodali Srikanth , Cui Yingzhi , Pashos Alison R S , Pessina Patrizia , Brumbaugh Justin , Di Stefano Bruno 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) exist in multiple, transcriptionally distinct states and serve as powerful models for studying human development. Despite their significance, the molecular determinants and pathways governing these pluripotent states remain incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that transposable elements act as sensitive indicators of distinct pluripotent cell states. We engineered hPSCs with fluorescent reporters to capture the temporal expression dynamics of two state-specific transposable elements, LTR5_Hs, and MER51B. This dual reporter system enables real-time monitoring and isolation of stem cells transitioning from naïve to primed pluripotency and further towards differentiation, serving as a more accurate readout of pluripotency states compared to conventional systems. Unexpectedly, we identified a rare, metastable cell population within primed hPSCs, marked by transcripts related to preimplantation embryo development and which is associated with a DNA damage response. Moreover, our system establishes the chromatin factor NSD1 and the RNA-binding protein FUS as potent molecular safeguards of primed pluripotency. Our study introduces a novel system for investigating cellular potency and provides key insights into the regulation of embryonic development.
Gamification empowered with AI tools to enhance student learning engagement and involvement for personalized effective learning experiences
Authors: Surve Bhisaji C. , Ghatule Arjun P. 
Published: December 2024

A prevalent mindset in modern society that can transcend the educational process should be “Game Thinking”; because there is a strong connection between game-like environments andworkplace settings. The application of game-inspired thinking in non-gaming contexts, particularly through technological tools, is referred to as “Gamification.”
Technology-savvy Millennials, the current dominant workforce, represent the future of business leadership. Therefore, gamification is highly effective in engaging this generation in meaningful ways. The intersection of the Gamification of education and AI presents numerous opportunities for enhancing learning experiences. Continuous research in these areas can lead to innovative solutions that empower students enabling them to achieve their educational goals more effectively as a benefit. Secondly, gamified outcome-based educational approaches can produce industry-ready skilled manpower.
AI tools based on Large Language Models (LLM) enhance their capabilities in multimodal means to handle not only text but audio-video-graphics too; hence these tools can bring new excitement to education paedology. The first part of the paper provides a psychological framework for gamification, while the second segment explores how to develop and constructa technological framework to implement AI-based gamification.
A direct reconstruction method for radiating sources in Maxwell’s equations with single-frequency data
Authors: Harris Isaac , Le Thu , Nguyen Dinh-Liem 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
This paper presents a fast and robust numerical method for reconstructing point-like sources in the time-harmonic Maxwell’s equations given Cauchy data at a fixed frequency. This is an electromagnetic inverse source problem with broad applications, such as antenna synthesis and design, medical imaging, and pollution source tracing. We introduce new imaging functions and a computational algorithm to determine the number of point sources, their locations, and associated moment vectors, even when these vectors have notably different magnitudes. The number of sources and locations are estimated using significant peaks of the imaging functions, and the moment vectors are computed via explicitly simple formulas. The theoretical analysis and stability of the imaging functions are investigated, where the main challenge lies in analyzing the behavior of the dot products between the columns of the imaginary part of the Green’s tensor and the unknown moment vectors. Additionally, we extend our method to reconstruct small-volume sources using an asymptotic expansion of their radiated electric field. We provide numerical examples in three dimensions to demonstrate the performance of our method.
Micro-target localization algorithm based on improved local contour extraction and feature point matching
Authors: Li Dongjie , Guo Xuening , Zhang Fuyue , Rong Weibin , Yang Liu , Zhang Yu , Liang Yu 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Images at the micrometer level usually have high resolution and contain a large amount of detailed information, and traditional vision algorithms are designed for macroscopic images, making it difficult to achieve accurate target localization at the microscopic scale. In this paper, we propose a micro-target localization algorithm based on improved local contour extraction and feature point matching to address the problems of low accuracy and time-consuming operation point localization under microscopic vision due to uneven illumination, angular shift of micro-targets, and occlusion. In the horizontal perspective, a light source correction algorithm based on the morphological algorithm and an edge enhancement algorithm based on Fourier transform is proposed to improve the accuracy of threshold segmentation and edge extraction, and a contour feature extraction algorithm based on Normalized Cross-Correlation template matching and improved Otsu’s thresholding method is utilized to achieve high-precision localization of multi-targets in micro-scale. In the vertical perspective, a Binary Robust Invariant Scalable Keypoints matching algorithm based on spatial feature screening is proposed to solve the problems of feature point mismatch and inaccurate localization of traditional algorithms in case of angular offset and occlusion of micro-targets. Finally, experiments were conducted on the microscopic vision operating system and experimentally compared with cutting-edge methods to verify the feasibility and superiority of the present method. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm in this paper has an average error of 1.023 pixels and an average elapsed time of 109.08 ms, exhibits higher stability in the presence of light source interference, angular offset, and occlusion of micro-targets, and significantly improves both localization accuracy and efficiency.
Automatic meter reading via simulated water meter wheel rotation data generation
Authors: Zhao Qianhui , Zhu Guanhua , Huang Quansi 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
With the rapid development of smart cities, automated meter reading (AMR) technology, as a crucial part of the infrastructure, has garnered widespread attention. This paper addresses the issues of data insufficiency and imbalanced sample distribution in AMR technology by constructing a simulated water meter digit generator that automatically generates water meter data images and their corresponding label files. Furthermore, to tackle the challenge of semi-character recognition, the model’s learning capability is enhanced by increasing the semi-character data samples and introducing auxiliary features. Finally, a counting area extraction method that combines object detection algorithms with perspective transformation techniques is introduced into the existing AMR framework, effectively resolving problems related to image skew correction and perspective distortion. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to the original dataset, training with the enhanced dataset proposed in this paper significantly improves the model’s performance in recognizing water meter digits, particularly showing advantages in semi-character recognition, thereby providing new insights and solutions for the development of AMR technology.
Optimization of the design of a single-sided magnetic resonance magnet array for improved T2 estimation accuracy
Authors: Miao Ruixin , Ren Chunpeng , Jiang Chuandong , Wang Qingyue , Wang Yunzhi , Yu Xiangqian 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Single-sided magnetic resonance (SSMR) technology has a compact structure and great potential for use in mobile and nondestructive detection of large aqueous materials. As the detection depth increases, the magnetic field gradient generated by the magnetic resonance magnet placed on one side weakens, leading to a large distortion of T
2, thereby significantly impeding accurate estimation of the pore size distribution within the detection target. In this study, to address this problem, the distortion in the region of interest (ROI) is significantly reduced by optimizing the size and arrangement of the SSMR magnet array. First, to evaluate the T
2 distortion within the ROI, we developed a T
2 distortion loss function based on α and θ, which are key parameters of the spin echo (SE) signal. We then combined the nonlinear constraints with the loss function to form a Lagrangian function, which was solved via the Newton iteration method to obtain the magnet array parameters. The magnet array is called the AT magnet array. The T
2 distortion was quantitatively evaluated by calculating the SE signal generated by the AT magnet array in the ROI. Furthermore, we compared the detection results obtained with the AT and the semi-annular (SA) magnet array. The results showed that within the 3 cm × 3 cm target range of a 10 cm depth, the AT magnet array had a smaller T
2 distortion of only 1.3%. After the ROI was expanded to 5 cm × 5 cm, the T
2 distortion of the SE signal measured by the AT magnet array was 6%, which met the SSMR detection accuracy requirements in this range. Therefore, the optimized design of the magnet array based on α and θ provides a theoretical basis for obtaining SE signals with low T
2 distortion at large depths and over large areas via SSMR.