bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CCPTNet: A Crowd Counting Model Based on Point Prediction with Transformers
Authors: Chen Zhouxuan , Cen Gang , Lin Xuefeng 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

In the process of rapid development of urbanization, the role of people flow monitoring technology in ensuring public safety, optimizing urban management and helping to prevent and control epidemic situation has become increasingly prominent. However, when facing the congested environment of high-density crowd, such as subway stations and large-scale events, traditional methods encounter major difficulties in automatic counting, especially due to target overlap and shape distortion caused by dense crowds and inaccurate counting caused by the changing lighting conditions and the diversity of observation angles. Therefore, this study proposes a novel network model - CCPTNet. This model is based on the point prediction model, which not only improves the counting performance and positioning accuracy, but also makes full use of the pyramid vision transformer trunk to enhance the capture of global data features and effectively reduce the risk of over-fitting of the model. At the same time, in order to reduce the light change and the interference to the crowd count from different perspectives, the author uses the conventional random cropping and horizontal flip, and introduces the methods of random rotation and color jitter to enhance the data. In addition, the function of prediction and counting is realized by point coordinate regression and proposal classification through two parallel branches. The experimental results on the Shanghai science and technology data set show that the CCPTNet model has a good accuracy performance.
Entomological Effects of Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait Station Deployment in Western Zambia: Vector Surveillance Findings from a Two-arm Cluster Randomized Phase III Trial
Authors: Wagman Joseph , Chanda Benjamin , Chanda Javan , Saili Kochelani , Orange Erica , Mambo Patricia , Muyabe Rayford , Kaniki Tresford , Mwenya Mwansa , Ng’andu Mirabelle , Sakala Jimmy , Ngulube Willy , Miller John , Arnzen Annie , Silumbe Kafula , Mwaanga Gift , Simubali Limonty , Mungo Alice , Mburu Monicah M. , Simulundu Edgar , Mambwe Brenda , Kasaro Racheal , Mulube Conceptor , Mwenda Mulenga , Hamainza Busiku , Ashton Ruth A. , Eisele Thomas P. , Harris Angela F. , Entwistle Julian , Yukich Joshua , Slutsker Laurence , Burkot Thomas R. , Littrell Megan 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background
Attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) stations are a novel tool with potential to complement current approaches to malaria vector control. To assess the public health value of ATSB station deployment in areas of high coverage with standard vector control, a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) of Sarabi ATSB® stations (Westham Ltd., Hod-Hasharon, Israel) was conducted in Western Province, Zambia, a high-burden location were Anopheles funestus is the dominant vector. The trial included 70 clusters and was designed to measure the effect of ATSBs on case incidence and infection prevalence over two, 7-month deployments. Reported here are results of the vector surveillance component of the study, conducted in a subset of 20 clusters and designed to provide entomological context to guide overall interpretation of trial findings.
Methods
Each month, 200 paired indoor-outdoor human landing catch (HLC) and 200 paired light trap (LT) collections were conducted to monitor An. funestus parity, abundance, biting rates, sporozoite prevalence, and entomological inoculation rates (EIR).
Results
During the study 20,337 female An. funestus were collected, 11,229 from control and 9,108 from intervention clusters. A subset of 3,131 HLC specimens were assessed for parity: The mean non-parous proportion was 23.0% (95% CI 18.2% − 28.7%, total n = 1,477) in the control and 21.2% (95%CI 18.8% − 23.9%, total n = 1,654) in the intervention arm, an OR = 1.05 (95%CI 0.82–1.34; p = 0.688). A non-significant reduction in LT abundance (RR = 0.65 [95%CI 0.30–1.40, p = 0.267]) was associated with ATSB deployment. HLC rates were highly variable, but model results indicate a similar non-significant trend with a RR = 0.68 (95%CI 0.22–2.00; p = 0.479). There were no effects on sporozoite prevalence or EIR.
Conclusions
An. funestus parity did not differ across study arms, but ATSB deployment was associated with a non-significant 35% reduction in vector LT density, results that are consistent with the epidemiological impact reported elsewhere. Additional research is needed to better understand how to maximize the potential impact of ATSB approaches in Zambia and other contexts.
Trial Registration:
This trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04800055, 16 March 2021).
Magnetic Laponite/poly(AA-AM) composite hydrogels for efficient removal of heavy metals
Authors: Huang Zhenggen , Wan Tao , Chen Yongmei , Li Dongmei , Xu Hao , Liu Bingjun , Zhao Yang 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Heavy metal wastewater contamination has become one of the greatest global environmental problems. In this study, magnetic Laponite/poly(AA-AM) composite hydrogels (mLap/(AA-AM)) with multi-level three-dimensional networks were for the first time synthesized by radical copolymerization based on poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid), Laponite and PEI-magnetic nanoparticles. mLap/(AA-AM) with porous and uneven structure has the target structure and composition confirmed by FTIR, FESEM, EDX and XRD results. FTIR and XRD results show that mLap/(AA-AM) has been successfully prepared without destroying high crystallinity of magnetic Fe3O4 and Laponite is dispersed in the polymer matrix with amorphous structure. mLap/(AA-AM) have high adsorption capacities of Cu(II) (238mg/g), Cd(II) (259mg/g) and Pb(II)(466mg/g). The endothermic, entropy increasing and spontaneous nature of heavy metal ion adsorption is revealed from thermodynamic study. Heavy metal ions adsorption isotherms and kinetics are in agreement with the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, respectively. In addition, mLap/(AA-AM) has good magnetic response and magnetic solid-liquid separation property, high gel strength and reusability, which can solve the disadvantage of insufficient gel strength and complicated recovery process of conventional hydrogels and has thus huge potential in removing heavy metal ions from the contaminated wastewater.
Causal Spatio-Temporal Graph Foresting Against Confounding Bias
Authors: Luo Xinxin , Yin Wei , Wu Fan , Xiao Bo 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Time series analysis plays a pivotal role in our daily lives, exerting a profound impact on our everyday activities. Traditional time series prediction models focus on analyzing temporal and spatial correlations but often overlook the underlying causal relationships. Integrating causal reasoning into models allows for a deeper understanding of the data generation mechanisms. Our paper proposes an innovative causal spatiotemporal graph neural network against confounding bias (CSTCB), which approaches the problem of time series prediction from the perspective of causal relationships. By applying the front-door criterion, we can calculate the causal effect of input variables on the prediction outcome, effectively eliminating the bias introduced by hidden confounders. Furthermore, we propose counterfactual reasoning methods, analyzing the causal link between predictions and inputs by setting different input scenarios, thereby reducing the interference of environmental factors. Finally, we evaluate our method on four public transportation datasets, and the experimental results show that CSTCB not only has better interpretability but also outperforms 11 baseline methods, with a 2% improvement in MAE metrics for the PeMSD8 dataset.
Improved MobileNetv3 lightweight dynamic expression recognition algorithm for classroom scenarios
Authors: 顾 梅花 , 丁 梦玥 , 冯 婧 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Aiming at the proplem of high difficulty and low real-time in dynamic expressions recognition under classroom scenes, a lightweight dynamic expression recognition algorithm based on improved MobileNetv3 is proposed. Firstly, through embedding a feature extraction module of GRU (Gate Recurrent Unit) in the MobileNetv3 network, the corresponding space vector of each expression image is processed, the temporal feature among expression image sequences is extracted, and the expression characteristics over time are fully explored. Then, a new hybrid loss LMCF (Large Margin Cosine Focal Loss) is proposed to build the hypersphere of facial expression features, and the inter-class distance of expressions is increased by enlarging the cosine distance, while the blurring problem of inter-class feature boundaries caused by unbalanced expression data is alleviated. Finally, a sparsely connected Pointwise Group Convolution is adopted to optimize the depthwise separable convolution in MobileNetv3 network, the model complexity is reduced, and the model speed is improved. The experimental results show that the accuracy and speed of the proposed algorithm are better than those of the other algorithms in the classroom scene test set, the mean average precision (mAP) can be improved by up to 2.88%, and the recognition rate can be improved by up to 12 FPS.
The Correlation Between Motivation and IELTS Reading Achievement Among Chinese Students
Authors: Fang Minghui 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of motivational factors on IELTS reading test performance among Chinese learners. It aims to assess the level of motivation, examine its correlation with IELTS reading achievement, and identify the most influential predictor among intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Using a quantitative research design and a sample of 242 students from 12 IELTS training institutions in southwest China, data were collected via the Motivation in English Reading Questionnaire (MERQ) and Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS. Results indicate a significant positive correlation between motivation and IELTS reading scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that intrinsic motivation (efficacy and engagement) is the strongest predictor of reading achievement. These findings highlight the importance of motivation in standardized English proficiency assessments.
Serum Trace Metallic Element of Copper is Associated with Overweight and Obesity
Authors: Yang Xiuwen , Liu Zhaoyi , Feng Huaili , You Ting , Wang Jiao , Duan Xinhao , Chen Chengzhi , Qiu Jingfu 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

The relationship between serum trace metallic elements and overweight and obesity is unclear, and few studies have evaluated the relationship between serum trace metal elements and overweight and obesity. Nine serum trace metallic elements of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Se, V and Zn were detected in people with obesity and normal adults. Then 1865 adults from 2011–2016 cycles of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was included for a large sample analysis. Serum Cu is highly expressed in the people with obesity. The third quartile (Q3) (OR: 1.898, 95% CI: 1.173–3.071, P = 0.012) and fourth quartile (Q4) (OR: 2.047, 95% CI: 1.201–3.489, P = 0.011) of Cu were related to an increased likelihood of people with overweight and obesity. Subgroup analysis showed that high levels of serum Cu (OR: 1.011, 95% CI: 1.004–1.018, P = 0.002) were found may be a risk factor for overweight and obesity in females and in the 20–39 years old (OR: 1.010, 95% CI: 1.002–1.019, P = 0.020). The RCS models detect non-linear relationships between serum trace metallic elements and overweight and obesity. The study provides insights into the relationship between trace metallic elements and overweight and obesity, providing an opportunity for further investigation in this area.
A novel type IV pili inhibitor protects broilers from Clostridium perfringens infection
Authors: Chen Tingting , Zhang Qiaoling , Wang Xinyu , Liu Shui , Zhou Yonglin , Xu Lei , Wang Jianfeng , Deng Xuming , Qiu Jiazhang , Lv Qianghua 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

C. perfringens is a zoonotic pathogen that causes NE, enterotoxemia, food poisoning and gas gangrene in animals and humans and thus seriously endangers public safety and the development of animal husbandry. Overcoming this health risk requires new approaches for antibiotic discovery and the screening of unique bacterial targets. In this work, we identified an active natural compound inhibitor targeting C. perfringens TFP. Based on the TFP-mediated gliding motility phenotype, we screened of numerous natural compounds and identified galangin as a nonantibacterial compound that inhibits C. perfringens cell adhesion and other functions. Galangin inhibits the formation of TFP by reducing the transcription of related genes, such as pilA, pilC, pilT, and pilM, disrupting the pathogenicity of C. perfringens mediated by TFP. The cell adhesion test and broiler model showed that galangin significantly inhibited C. perfringensvirulence in vivo and in vitro and exerted a comprehensive protective effect on infected broilers. Inhibition of TFP function is an effective strategy for the development of drugs targeting C. perfringensinfection. Our evidence proves that galangin can inhibit C. perfringensTFP in vivo and in vitro.
Attraction to water and polarization in dragonflies and damselflies along a light pollution gradient
Authors: Sandoval-Granillo Valentina , Ensaldo-Cárdenas Angélica S. , Robertson Bruce , Villalobos-Jimenez Giovanna , Córdoba-Aguilar Alex 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Aquatic insects, like odonates, rely on light polarization as a visual cue to locate water bodies for reproduction, but artificial polarization from light pollution can lead them into ecological traps. This study investigates odonate preference for polarized light cues compared to other sensory cues associated with water perception, as well as the effects of exposure to artificial polarization on their sensitivity to these cues. We hypothesized that artificial polarized light acts as a selective pressure, modifying odonate behavior and resulting in a reduced preference for anthropogenic polarizing traps in odonate species in areas with higher light pollution and an increased preference for natural water bodies. Our multiple-choice experiment revealed interspecific differences in cue attraction, with some species preferring polarizing traps while others favored water or color cues. Species attracted to the ecological light traps were always a subset of the total species present in each site, suggesting that some species evade ecological traps. Surprisingly, we found few significant differences in odonate behavior between polarization exposure categories, suggesting either weak selective pressure, prioritization of other sensory cues, or existing adaptations to avoid ecological traps. We observed sex disparities in susceptibility to traps, with males showing greater attraction, potentially due to differences in habitat selection criteria. While evidence of strong selective pressure from light pollution is lacking, our results emphasize the importance of reducing light pollution near water bodies to conserve odonates and aquatic insect populations in a changing environment.
The quantum version of Kolmogorov-Arnold Network ( KAN ) : Variational Quantum Kolmogorov-Arnold Network.
Authors: Wakaura Hikaru , Suksmono Andriyan B. 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

We implemented a quantum version of the Kolmogorov-Arnold Network (KAN) on a quantum circuit. It optimizes the weight of each synaptic connection to enhance the overall performance of the neurons. This approach offers a significant boost in efficiency over traditional neural networks, as it can be optimized more accurately and requires only a few neurons to solve complex problems. The KAN is a multi-layer network, similar to a traditional neural network, with each layer represented as a matrix containing parameters and feedback. This structure is linear and mirrors the form of Variational Quantum Algorithms. Thus, we propose the Variational Quantum Kolmogorov-Arnold Network (VQKAN) as a quantum version of the Kolmogorov-Arnold Network. We demonstrated the optimization of VQKAN for the fitting of the given function in some ways, such as by using ansatzes and comparisons.
Production of microalgae in wastewater and brackish waters: kinetic, lipid content, bioremediation and cost analysis studies
Authors: da Silveira Guimarães Bruna , França Kepler Borges , de Sousa Santos Danilo Freire , do Nascimento João Alexandre Rodrigues , Gomes de Matos da Costa e Silva Bernardo José 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT
The cultivation of microalgae in domestic wastewater offers a sustainable solution for the treatment of effluents, while at the same time producing biomass rich in lipids, potentially usable in the production of biofuels. Furthermore, reuse contributes to the treatment of wastewater, transforming a byproduct into a valuable source of nutrients for the production of microalgae biomass. This study involves the production of microalgae in open cultivation, using domestic effluents as a source of nutrients in brackish environments, to study the potential for biodiesel production. Intracellular lipids were between 17 and 20%. As for the bioremediation capacity, the results showed removal levels greater than 95% of nutrients, as well as bacterial and pollutant load reduction. The growth kinetics and the prediction of theoretical kinetic models through the use of computational tools show significant differences, due to the lack of control of process parameters in open cultivations. Based on the literature review and market research, a cost analysis for large-scale production in open crops was made, comparing with closed crops and finding lower costs in the implementation, maintenance and production of biodiesel in the production open.
Application of artificial countermeasures to enhance desilting efficiency in a reservoir under normal and extreme events
Authors: Lee Fong-Zuo , Huynh Nguyen Nhat Lam 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT
The influx of flood-induced turbidity flows with high sediment concentrations into the reservoir can create sediment deposition issues, potentially jeopardizing water supply reliability. Efficient management of reservoir water resources is imperative for sustainable utilization. Evaluating the need for reservoir desilting involves comprehending the inflow and outflow dynamics of water-sediment discharges, the capacity of existing outlet structures, reservoir operation objectives, and available desilting technologies. However, given the altering hydrological conditions due to the impacts of climate change, there is a necessity for adaptive methods to ensure reservoir storage maintenance. Consequently, this study introduces the utilization of a flushing channel with artificial guiding structures to enhance desilting efficiency. A 2D numerical model offers convenient computational tools for assessing water-sediment transport behaviors across various operational scenarios based on reservoir management strategies. Data obtained from field observations is collected and analyzed to calibrate and verify the numerical model. By employing 2D numerical modeling, sediment concentration and desilting efficiency are calculated to support effective desilting operations within a reservoir. Simulation results indicate that the integration of additional artificial guiding structures at the bottom of the reservoir can enhance sedimentation mitigation outcomes by approximately 17.63% under normal conditions and by 5.27% under extreme hydrological conditions.
Pengaruh pendekatan culturally responsive teaching (CRT) untuk meningkatkan berpikir kritis peserta didik kelas IV SDN Peterongan Semarang
Authors: Shahnaz Surayya  , Patonah Siti , Sumiyatun  
Published: June 2024

Keterampilan berpikir kritis menjadi pondasi generasi penerus bangsa guna memiliki sikap adaptif yang sangat pesat guna dapat mengikuti perkembangan zaman abad 21 ini. Kemampuan keterampilan berpikir kritis memiliki manfaat yaitu memberi pengalaman belajar peserta didik dengan melatih kepekaannya terhadap lingkungan sekitar. Peserta didik kelas IV A SDN Peterongan belum memiliki keterampilan berpikir kritis secara maksimal, peserta didik hanya dapat mencari salah satu jawaban benar berdasarkan hafalan, mereka belum dapat memahami secara mendalam konsep pembelajaran yang dapat digunakan untuk memecahkan masalah di kehidupan nyata. Maka dari itu tujuan penelitian ini adalah menerapkan pendekatan Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), CRT dalam pembelajaran guna dapat meningkatkan berpikir kritis peserta didik kelas IV SDN Peterongan. Metode penelitian menggunakan pre ekperimen dan designnya menggunakan one group pretest-postest design yang diterapkan pada 27 peserta didik. Hasil penelitian berfikir kritis mendapatlkan rata-rata prosentase 89%, dan hasil belajar peserta didik dengan uji t yaitu sig (2-tailed) 0,000 < 0,05 sehingga H0 ditolak dan H1 diterima, dengan demikian, maka dapat diperoleh hasil bahwa pendekatan CRT dapat meningkatkan berpikir kritis peserta didik.

Kata Kunci: Berpikir Kritis, Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), Kelas IV
PCAOB Inspections and Auditor Liability
Authors: Grenier Jonathan H. , Robertson Jesse C. , Simon Chad A. , Vinson Jeremy M. 
Published: June 2024

SUMMARY
The PCAOB has been inspecting firms for almost 20 years, yet there is little evidence regarding the effect of PCAOB inspections on auditor liability. We examine conditions under which a clean PCAOB inspection finding (at the engagement level) provides auditor liability protection for an audit subsequently called into question. Using source credibility theory, we predict and find that the defense introducing a clean PCAOB inspection finding for the litigated engagement reduces jurors’ negligence assessments by increasing the perceived credibility of the firm’s defense. We also find that, if the plaintiff introduces a PCAOB-issued control criticism (firm-wide level), jurors’ negligence assessments increase, regardless of whether a clean PCAOB inspection finding for the engagement is present. Collectively, results suggest that PCAOB inspection findings influence jurors’ negligence assessments. These findings have implications for audit firms, the PCAOB, and other public policy makers, as well as attorneys and triers of fact in audit litigation.
Data Availability: Please contact the authors.