bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
When Two Become One: Singular Duos and the Neuroethical Frontiers of Brain-to-Brain Interfaces
Authors: Zohny Hazem , Savulescu Julian 
Published: April 2024

AbstractAdvances in brain–brain interface technologies raise the possibility that two or more individuals could directly link their minds, sharing thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences. This paper explores conceptual and ethical issues posed by such mind-merging technologies in the context of clinical neuroethics. Using hypothetical examples along a spectrum from loosely connected pairs to fully merged minds, the authors sketch out a range of factors relevant to identifying the degree of a merger. They then consider potential new harms like loss of identity, psychological domination, loss of mental privacy, and challenges for notions of autonomy and patient benefit when applied to merged minds. While radical technologies may seem to necessitate new ethical paradigms, the authors suggest the individual-focus underpinning clinical ethics can largely accommodate varying degrees of mind mergers so long as individual patient interests remain identifiable. However, advanced decisionmaking and directives may have limitations in addressing the dilemmas posed. Overall, mind-merging possibilities amplify existing challenges around loss of identity, relating to others, autonomy, privacy, and the delineation of patient interests. This paper lays the groundwork for developing resources to address the novel issues raised, while suggesting the technologies reveal continuity with current healthcare ethics tensions.
Bilingualism and ageing independently impact on language processing: evidence from comprehension and production
Authors: Fernandes Eunice G. , Segaert Katrien , Rahman Foyzul , Wetterlin Allison , Wheeldon Linda 
Published: April 2024

AbstractTo examine the combined effects of ageing and bilingualism in language processing, we tested young and older mono- and bilingual speakers in L1 comprehension and production. In Experiment 1, bilinguals were slower to detect words than monolinguals in sentences with a low-constraint context, but not when a high-constraint context was provided. Older adults tended to outperform younger adults in high-constraint sentences. In Experiment 2, older speakers were slower than younger speakers to produce small-scope prepositional phrases (e.g., ‘the coneabovethe grape), suggesting more extensive planning. Bilingual disadvantages were observed in larger-scope complex phrases (e.g., ‘the coneandthe pink grape’). Individual differences in language proficiency did not modulate the effects. The results support bilingual disadvantages in syntactic processing and age-preserved syntax, alongside semantic processing unaffected by either bilingualism or age. We found no interactions between age and bilingualism, suggesting that these two factors independently impact language processing.
Patient altruism at the end of life: A scoping review
Authors: Sterie Anca-Cristina , Borasio Gian Domenico , Deml Michael J. , Gamondi Claudia , Jox Ralf J. , Larkin Philip , Trombert Alexia , Rubli Truchard Eve , Bernard Mathieu 
Published: April 2024

AbstractObjectivesThe concept of altruism is evidenced in various disciplines but remains understudied in end-of-life (EOL) contexts. Patients at the EOL are often seen as passive recipients of care, whereas the altruism of professionals and families receives more research and clinical attention. Our aim was to summarize the state of the scientific literature concerning the concept of patient altruism in EOL contexts.MethodsIn May 2023, we searched 11 databases for scientific literature on patient altruism in EOL contexts in consultation with a health information specialist. The scoping review is reported using the PRISMA checklist for scoping reviews. We used a data charting form to deductively extract data from the selected articles and then mapped data into 4 themes related to our research questions: how authors describe and employ the concept of patient altruism; expressions of patient altruism; consequences of patients’ altruistic acts; and possible interventions fostering patient altruism.ResultsExcluding duplicates, 2893 articles were retrieved; 33 were included in the final review. Altruism was generally considered as an act or intention oriented toward the benefit of a specific (known) or non-specific (generic) recipient. Patients expressed altruism through care and support, decisions to withhold treatment or actively hasten death, and engagement in advance care planning. Consequences of altruism were categorized in patient-centered (contribution to meaning in life and quality of life), non-patient-centered (leaving a positive impact and saving money), and negative consequences (generating feelings of guilt, exposing individuals with low self-esteem). Interventions to encourage altruism comprised specific interventions, providing opportunities to plan for future care, and recognizing and respecting the patients’ altruistic motivations.Significance of resultsWe identified heterogeneous and limited research conceptualization of patient altruism and its operationalization in palliative care settings. A deeper conceptual, empirical, and theoretical exploration of patient altruism in EOL is necessary.
THE TEMPORAL CONTINUUM
Authors: ARDESHIR MOHAMMAD , RAMEZANIAN RASOUL 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The continuum has been one of the most controversial topics in mathematics since the time of the Greeks. Some mathematicians, such as Euclid and Cantor, held the position that a line is composed of points, while others, like Aristotle, Weyl, and Brouwer, argued that a line is not composed of points but rather a matrix of a continued insertion of points. In spite of this disagreement on the structure of the continuum, they did distinguish the temporal line from the spatial line. In this paper, we argue that there is indeed a difference between the intuition of the spatial continuum and the intuition of the temporal continuum. The main primary aspect of the temporal continuum, in contrast with the spatial continuum, is the notion of orientation.
The continuum has usually been mathematically modeled by Cauchy sequences and the Dedekind cuts. While in the first model, each point can be approximated by rational numbers, in the second one, that is not possible constructively. We argue that points on the temporal continuum cannot be approximated by rationals as a temporal point is a flow that sinks to the past. In our model, the continuum is a collection of constructive Dedekind cuts, and we define two topologies for temporal continuum: 1. oriented topology and 2. the ordinary topology. We prove that every total function from the oriented topological space to the ordinary one is continuous.
The Swiss Patrician Families between Decline and Persistence: Power Positions and Kinship Ties (1890–1957)
Authors: Benz Pierre , Araujo Pedro , Legentilhomme Geoffroy , Mach André , Piguet Steven , Strebel Michael A. , Widmer Emilie 
Published: April 2024

AbstractScholarship demonstrated the major role of inheritance and kinship for elite’s power reproduction, particularly among noble families. In the absence of monarchic and court structures, ruling classes that enjoyed privileges and engaged in social closure could become the functional equivalent of a nobility. In this paper, we examine the evolution of the power of Swiss patrician families in the three major Swiss cities (Basel, Geneva, and Zurich) since the end of the nineteenth century and assess whether urban oligarchies endure in the twentieth century and what role kinship ties play in the reproduction of power structures. Building on a systematic database of 5,199 urban elites who hold power positions in the main economic, political, academic, and cultural institutions, we describe the evolution of Swiss patrician families between 1890 and 1957. Using social network, kinship, and sequence analysis, we provide a comprehensive investigation of the Swiss patrician elite’s evolution at both the individual and the family level. Our analyses show a general decline of patrician families’ presence in urban positions of power, however with significant variations according to both the cities and the spheres of activity. Furthermore, we identify distinct trajectories of families who have either lost their access to power positions, managed to access again or have remained in urban power positions according to different survival strategies. Beyond the Swiss case, we contribute to the literature on power and kinship through an interdisciplinary approach combining historical and sociological perspectives.
Assessment of Pre‐ and Post‐Fire Fuel Availability for Wildfire Management Based on L‐Band Polarimetric SAR
Authors: An Karen , Jones Cathleen E. , Lou Yunling 
Published: April 2024

AbstractMany communities coexist with wildfires that lead to loss of lives, property, and ecosystem services. Remote sensing tools can aid disaster response and post‐event assessment, offering fire agencies opportunities for additional surveillance with radar, an all‐weather instrument that can image day or night. The Station (2009) and Bobcat (2020) Fires are the two largest fires in Los Angeles County history, each burning over 100,000 acres. These areas are imaged with NASA's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar L‐band instrument. We test whether polarimetric radar can detect fire scars, burn severity, and different fuel types through its sensitivity to different scattering mechanisms. Polarimetric SAR products are moved into geographic information system‐friendly formats, and in lieu of available field measurements are analyzed alongside agency data showing fire perimeters, burn progression outlines, and soil burn severity. We find that the HV polarization returns and the primary scattering mechanism, quantified through the Cloude‐Pottier decomposition, are the most sensitive parameters. Higher HV values pre‐fire correspond well to areas of moderate and high soil burn severity, and the pattern of fire progression follows higher HV to some extent. Using an HV difference threshold of 1.5 dB, the Bobcat burn scar is identified at 0.70 accuracy when compared with the published fire perimeter. Alpha 1 Angle can also demonstrate sensitivity to soil burn severity pre‐ and post‐fire, showing vegetation types with increased surface scattering post‐fire, which can be used to map burn scars and track recovery by vegetation type.
An Experimental Study on EUV‐To‐Magnetogram Image Translation Using Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Dannehl Markus , Delouille Véronique , Barra Vincent 
Published: April 2024

AbstractDeep generative models have recently become popular in heliophysics for their capacity to fill in gaps in solar observational data sets, thereby helping mitigating the data scarcity issue faced in space weather forecasting. A particular type of deep generative models, called conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGAN), has been used since a few years in the context of image‐to‐image (I2I) translation on solar observations. These algorithms have however hyperparameters whose values might influence the quality of the synthetic image. In this work, we use magnetograms produced by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and EUV images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) for the problem of generating Artificial Intelligence (AI) synthetic magnetograms from multiple SDO/AIA channels using cGAN, and more precisely the Pix2PixCC algorithm. We perform a systematic study of the most important hyperparameters to investigate which hyperparameter might generate magnetograms of highest quality with respect to the Structural Similarity Index. We propose a structured way to perform training with various hyperparameter values, and provide diagnostic and visualization tools of the generated versus targeted image. Our results shows that when using a larger number of filters in the convolution blocks of the cGAN, the fine details in the generated magnetogram are better reconstructed. Adding several input channels besides the 304 Å channel does not improve the quality of generated magnetogram, but the hyperparameters controlling the relative importance of the different loss functions in the optimization process have an influence on the quality of the results.
Rossby Wave Amplified by Tropical Cyclones Over the Bay of Bengal and Its Downstream Impact on Precipitation in South China
Authors: Fan Xiaoting , Li Ying , Wei Na , Xie Yiyun , An Pengchao 
Published: April 2024

AbstractTropical cyclones (TCs) over the Bay of Bengal (BOB) can interact with the South Branch Trough (SBT) as they move northward and potentially amplify Rossby waves. This study evaluates the features of Rossby waves and their downstream impact on rainfall in South China. Results indicate that TC‐SBT interactions primarily occur in May and October‐November (Oct‐Nov), with probabilities of 59% and 53% respectively. Notably, the Rossby wave train associated with BOB TCs is more pronounced during Oct‐Nov due to the stronger subtropical westerly jet, in contrast to May. The downstream atmospheric response results in positive (negative) rainfall anomalies over South China in May (Oct‐Nov), particularly on the day following the maximum interaction day. Previous researches concerning TC‐extratropical flow interaction mainly focus on other basins where TCs move to higher latitudes, this study provides fresh insights into Rossby waves related to TC‐SBT interactions over the southern Tibetan Plateau.
Impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation on the Decadal Variability of the Upper Subtropical‐Tropical Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Roch M. , Brandt P. , Schmidtko S. , Tuchen F. P. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIn the northeastern tropical Atlantic, a region of high potential vorticity (PV) determines the size of the exchange window for the interior thermocline flow of the subtropical cell via its variations in strength and extent. Variability of this PV barrier has the potential to impact the ventilation of the tropical Atlantic on decadal timescales. Here, the impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the PV barrier related to isopycnals within the thermocline of the subtropical‐tropical Atlantic Ocean is assessed from Argo observations for the time period of 2006–2022. Relative to the negative NAO phase (2009–2010), during the positive NAO phase (2014–2019), the North Atlantic subtropical high and the northeast trades are intensified. Satellite‐derived wind stress curl shows increased upwelling/downwelling on the equatorward/poleward side of the trade wind zone, respectively. In the subtropical‐tropical Atlantic, a symmetric pattern of isopycnal heave is observed: rising isopycnals within 20°N and 20°S and sinking poleward of that. With rising isopycnals, the PV barrier in the northeastern tropical Atlantic becomes stronger. Analyses of geostrophic velocities and the Sverdrup streamfunction show that during the positive NAO phase there are increased equatorward velocities at thermocline level along the western boundary and reduced velocities through the interior as a result of intensified northeast trades and therefore a strengthened PV barrier. Intensified trades lead to enhanced subduction of thermocline waters and, independent of that, to a strengthened Equatorial Undercurrent transport as observed at the mooring site at 0°, 23°W, likely via the pulling effect of the subtropical cells.
Automated Input Variable Selection for Analog Methods Using Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Horton P. , Martius O. , Grimm S. L. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractAnalog methods (AMs) have long been used for precipitation prediction and climate studies. However, they rely on manual selections of parameters, such as predictor variables and analogy criteria. Previous work showed the potential of genetic algorithms (GAs) to optimize most of the AM parameters. This research goes one step further and investigates the potential of GAs for automating the selection of the input variables and the analogy criteria (distance metric between two data fields) in AMs. Our study focuses on the prediction of daily precipitation in central Europe, specifically Switzerland, as a representative case. Comparative analysis against established methods demonstrates the superiority of GA‐optimized AMs in terms of predictive accuracy. The selected input variables exhibit strong associations with key meteorological processes that influence the generation of precipitation. Further, we identify a new analogy criterion inspired by the Teweles‐Wobus criterion, which consistently performs better than other Euclidean distances and could be used in classic AMs. In contrast to conventional stepwise selection approaches, GA‐optimized AMs display a preference for a flatter structure characterized by a single level of analogy and an increased number of variables. Overall, our study demonstrates the successful application of GAs in automating input variable selection for AMs, with potential implications for application in diverse locations and data exploration to predict alternative predictands. In a broader context, GAs could be used to perform input variable selection in other data‐driven methods, opening perspectives for a broad range of applications.
Anomalous Pressure Diffusion and Deformation in Two‐ and Three‐Dimensional Heterogeneous Fractured Media
Authors: Andrés Sandro , Dentz Marco , Cueto‐Felgueroso Luis 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIn fractured and stress‐sensitive reservoirs and aquifers, hydromechanical coupling is important, in connection with their heat and solute transport properties, and because the fluid production or extraction leads to land subsidence and potentially to induced seismicity. Classical dual‐porosity poroelasticity (DPP) models cannot upscale pressure diffusion and deformation in fractured porous media, which are characterized by anomalous behaviors that manifest in strong tailing in the temporal evolution of flow rate and subsidence. We study these behaviors using detailed numerical simulations of fluid production in naturally fractured formations characterized by multi‐Gaussian distributions of the matrix permeability. We find that the tailing behaviors depend on the permeability contrast between fracture and matrix, on the permeability distribution in the matrix, and on the correlation length. We use a non–equilibrium, multi‐porosity model to quantify the coupled behaviors of anomalous pressure diffusion, fluid flow and deformation. The model is parameterized by medium and fluid properties, which set the characteristic pressure diffusion time scales. It allows to identify the emerging scaling regimes and scaling behaviors of flow rate and subsidence. We propose a model implementation that captures the full anomalous evolution of flow rates and displacements observed in the detailed numerical simulations in terms of the permeability distribution and matrix length scales. The presented results shed new light on the controls of medium heterogeneity and geometry on pressure diffusion, fluid production and subsidence in highly heterogeneous fractured media.
The influence of body composition on the response to dynamic stimulation of the endocrine pituitary-testis axis
Authors: Abildgaard Julie , Bang Anne Kirstine , Nordkap Loa , Priskorn Lærke , Jørgensen Niels 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Testosterone treatment is generally not recommended in men with obesity induced low serum testosterone. However, distinguishing this condition from overt testosterone deficiency in men with obesity where treatment should be initiated is a diagnostic challenge and tools to differentiate these conditions are scarce but could be of important clinical relevance.

Objectives
To investigate the association between body composition and dynamic responses of the pituitary-testis axis in men.

Methods
Single-center cross-sectional study including 112 healthy men. Participants went through a full biochemical assessment of the pituitary-testis axis, and dynamic stimulatory tests of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion (gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-test) and testosterone secretion (choriogonadotropin (hCG)-test). A subset (N = 78) further had a DXA-scan performed.

Results
A higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with lower basal serum LH (BU = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.88–−0.01, p = 0.04). The GnRH-stimulated LH increase was not significantly associated with BMI (BU = −0.10, 95% CI: −0.72–0.51, p = 0.74). Furthermore, a high BMI was associated with low basal testosterone (BU −0.02, 95% CI: −0.03–−0.02, p < 0.001), and free testosterone (BU −15.0, 95% CI: −19.9–−10.0, p < 0.001) and men with overweight and obesity had significantly lower testosterone (9%, p = 0.003 and 24%, p < 0.001) and free testosterone (25%, p = 0.006 and 50%, p < 0.001) concentrations compared to men with normal weight. The HCG-stimulated testosterone increase was significantly less dependent on BMI compared to the influence of BMI on basal testosterone concentrations (p = 0.04 for the interaction).

Conclusions
Dynamic sex hormone responses following pituitary-testis axis stimulation were less dependent on BMI, compared to the influence of BMI on basal hormone concentrations and could potentially assist clinical decision making in patients with obesity suspected of testosterone deficiency.
Rebound activation of 5-HT neurons following SSRI discontinuation
Authors: Collins Helen M. , Gullino L. Sophie , Ozdemir Dersu , Lazarenco Caroline , Sudarikova Yulia , Daly Elizabeth , Pilar Cuéllar Fuencisla , Pinacho Raquel , Bannerman David M. , Sharp Trevor 
Published: April 2024

AbstractCessation of therapy with a selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is often associated with an early onset and disabling discontinuation syndrome, the mechanism of which is surprisingly little investigated. Here we determined the effect on 5-HT neurochemistry of discontinuation from the SSRI paroxetine. Paroxetine was administered repeatedly to mice (once daily, 12 days versus saline controls) and then either continued or discontinued for up to 5 days. Whereas brain tissue levels of 5-HT and/or its metabolite 5-HIAA tended to decrease during continuous paroxetine, levels increased above controls after discontinuation, notably in hippocampus. In microdialysis experiments continuous paroxetine elevated hippocampal extracellular 5-HT and this effect fell to saline control levels on discontinuation. However, depolarisation (high potassium)-evoked 5-HT release was reduced by continuous paroxetine but increased above controls post-discontinuation. Extracellular hippocampal 5-HIAA also decreased during continuous paroxetine and increased above controls post-discontinuation. Next, immunohistochemistry experiments found that paroxetine discontinuation increased c-Fos expression in midbrain 5-HT (TPH2 positive) neurons, adding further evidence for a hyperexcitable 5-HT system. The latter effect was recapitulated by 5-HT1A receptor antagonist administration although gene expression analysis could not confirm altered expression of 5-HT1A autoreceptors following paroxetine discontinuation. Finally, in behavioural experiments paroxetine discontinuation increased anxiety-like behaviour, which partially correlated in time with the measures of increased 5-HT function. In summary, this study reports evidence that, across a range of experiments, SSRI discontinuation triggers a rebound activation of 5-HT neurons. This effect is reminiscent of neural changes associated with various psychotropic drug withdrawal states, suggesting a common unifying mechanism.