bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The influence of marital status at diagnosis on survival of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Zhang Ting , Wang Zhao-tong , Li Zhuo , Yin Shuo-xin , Wang Xun , Chen Hai-zhu 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Marital status has been reported to influence the survival outcomes of various cancers, but its impact on patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the influence of marital status at diagnosis on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with MCL.

Methods
The study utilized data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-18 databases, including 6437 eligible individuals diagnosed with MCL from 2000 to 2018. A 1:1 propensity matching method (PSM) minimized confounding factor. Univariate and multivariate analyses determined hazard ratios (HR). Stratified hazard models were developed for married and unmarried statuses across time intervals.

Results
Married patients exhibited better 5-year OS and CSS rates compared to unmarried patients (54.2% vs. 39.7%, log-rank p < 0.001; 62.6% vs. 49.3%, log-rank p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that being unmarried was an independent risk factor for OS (adjusted HR 1.420, 95% CI 1.329–1.517) and CSS (adjusted HR 1.388, 95% CI 1.286–1.498). After PSM, being unmarried remained an independent risk factor for both OS and CSS. Among unmarried patients, widowed individuals exhibited the poorest survival outcomes compared to patients with other marital statuses, with 5-year OS and CSS rates of 28.5% and 41.0%, respectively. Furthermore, in the 10-year OS and CSS hazard model for widowed individuals had a significantly higher risk of mortality, with the probability of overall and cancer-specific mortality increased by 1.7-fold and 1.6-fold, respectively.

Conclusion
Marital status at diagnosis is an independent prognostic factor for MCL patients, with widowed individuals showing worse OS and CSS than those who are married, single, or divorced/separated. Adequate psychological and social support for widowed patients is crucial for improving outcomes in this patient population.
Time domain coupling of the boundary and discrete element methods for 3D problems
Authors: Barros Guilherme , Pereira Andre , Rojek Jerzy , Carter John , Thoeni Klaus 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis paper presents an extension of the authors’ previously developed interface coupling technique for 2D problems to 3D problems. The method combines the strengths of the Discrete Element Method (DEM), known for its adeptness in capturing discontinuities and non-linearities at the microscale, and the Boundary Element Method (BEM), known for its efficiency in modelling wave propagation within infinite domains. The 3D formulation is based on spherical discrete elements and bilinear quadrilateral boundary elements. The innovative coupling methodology overcomes a critical limitation by enabling the representation of discontinuities within infinite domains, a pivotal development for large-scale dynamic problems. The paper systematically addresses challenges, with a focus on interface compatibility, showcasing the method’s accuracy through benchmark validation on a finite rod and infinite spherical cavity. Finally, a model of a column embedded into the ground illustrates the versatility of the approach in handling complex scenarios with multiple domains. This innovative coupling approach represents a significant leap in the integration of DEM and BEM for 3D problems and opens avenues for tackling complex and realistic problems in various scientific and engineering domains.
Erfahrungswerte im Praxiseinsatz von Vorsammelhilfen in der getrennten Bioabfallsammlung mit Fokus auf Tirol
Authors: Weber Teresa , Wehner Marco , Bockreis Anke 
Published: March 2024

ZusammenfassungDie getrennte Sammlung von Bioabfall ist wichtig für Umweltschutz und Ressourcenschonung und trägt zu verschiedenen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) bei. Die Verwendung biologisch abbaubarer Vorsammelhilfen, besonders aus Kunststoff, in den Haushalten kann zur Mengensteigerung von getrennt gesammelten Bioabfall beitragen, allerdings ebenso verschiedene Herausforderungen in der Bioabfallbehandlung und -verwertung verursachen. Die Vielfalt von Logos für Vorsammelhilfen erschwert die Handhabung, ein einheitliches Logo mit klaren Qualitätskriterien wäre sinnvoll. Papierbeutel könnten aufgrund der besseren Abbaubarkeit und höheren Methanerträge umweltfreundlichere Alternativen zu Vorsammelhilfen aus Biokunststoff darstellen. Forschungsbedarf besteht bei der Analyse von Mikroplastikpartikeln im Bioabfall, um langfristige Umweltauswirkungen zu verstehen. Die Wirksamkeit der Bioabfallsammlung könnte durch alternative Materialien (z. B. Papierbeutel) und Verbraucheraufklärung gesteigert werden.
Mortality of type 2 diabetes in Germany: additional insights from Gompertz models
Authors: Kuss Oliver , Baumert Jens , Schmidt Christian , Tönnies Thaddäus 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Aims
The Gompertz law of mortality proclaims that human mortality rates in middle to old ages grow log-linearly with age and this law has been confirmed at multiple instances. We investigated if diabetes mortality in Germany also obeys to the Gompertz law and how this information helps to communicate diabetes mortality more intuitively.

Methods
We analyzed all statutory health-insured persons in Germany in 2013 that were aged 30 years or older. Deaths in 2014 were recorded and given in 5-year age groups. We fitted weighted linear regression models (separately for females and males and for people with and without diabetes) and additionally computed the probability that a person with diabetes dies before a person of the same age and sex without diabetes, and the “diabetes age”, that is, the additional years of mortality risk added to an individual’s chronological age due to diabetes-related excess mortality.

Results
We included N = 47,365,120 individuals, 6,541,181 of them with diabetes. In 2014, 763,228 deaths were recorded, among them 288,515 with diabetes. Diabetes mortality followed nearly perfectly Gompertz distributions. The probability that a person with diabetes dies before a person without diabetes was 61.9% for females and 63.3% for males.

Conclusions
Diabetes mortality for females and males aged 30 years or older in Germany in 2014 followed the Gompertz law of mortality. The survival information of the population with diabetes during a large part of the lifespan can thus be reduced to the two parameters of the Gompertz distribution.
Using interpolated implied volatility for analysing exogenous market changes
Authors: Maciak Matúš , Vitali Sebastiano 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis paper focuses on market changes due to exogenous effects. The standard implied volatility is shown to be insufficient for a proper detection and analysis of this type of risk. This is mainly because such changes are usually dominated by endogenous effects coming from a specific trading mechanism or natural market dynamics. A methodologically unique approach based on artificial options that always have a constant time to maturity is proposed and explicitly defined. The key principle is to use interpolated volatilities, which can effectively eliminate instabilities due to the natural market dynamics while the changes caused by the exogenous causes are preserved. Formal statistical tests for distinguishing significant effects are proposed under different theoretical and practical scenarios. Statistical theory, computational and algorithmic details, and comprehensive empirical comparisons together with a real data illustration are all presented.
GNSS direct position estimation-inspired positioning with pseudorange correlogram for urban navigation
Authors: Vicenzo Sergio , Xu Bing , Xu Haosheng , Hsu Li-Ta 
Published: March 2024

AbstractMultipath (MP) reception has been among the main issues for accurate and reliable positioning in urban environments. It has been shown to introduce positioning errors of up to tens of meters for conventional two-step (2SP) receivers. The direct position estimation (DPE) has been introduced as a more robust positioning algorithm compared to the conventional two-step (2SP) receivers in terms of MP mitigation. However, its high computational load prevents DPE from real-time positioning for commercial receivers. Thus, we present a novel grid-based maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) algorithm based on DPE by making use of pseudorange measurements to obtain the correlogram on a predefined searching space. Unlike DPE, which performs correlations at the intermediate frequency (IF) level, correlations are done by directly comparing the code phase of each candidate position, velocity, and timing with the incoming pseudorange. This way, the proposed method retains MP mitigation properties from DPE through the use of MLE from DPE and allows for a significantly reduced computational load compared to DPE. The proposed method was tested with both open-sourced datasets collected in urban environments as well as IF simulation data, and its performance is evaluated against a 2SP receiver. Results show that the proposed method manages to acquire the MP mitigation capability of DPE and outperforms 2SP by up to around 23% in the tested urban datasets and 91% in the simulation data, at a much-reduced computational time. The resilience of our proposed method against MP and NLOS could even potentially offer applications in geodetic networks, where robust estimators are traditionally employed to counteract outliers.
Future of software development with generative AI
Authors: Sauvola Jaakko , Tarkoma Sasu , Klemettinen Mika , Riekki Jukka , Doermann David 
Published: March 2024

AbstractGenerative AI is regarded as a major disruption to software development. Platforms, repositories, clouds, and the automation of tools and processes have been proven to improve productivity, cost, and quality. Generative AI, with its rapidly expanding capabilities, is a major step forward in this field. As a new key enabling technology, it can be used for many purposes, from creative dimensions to replacing repetitive and manual tasks. The number of opportunities increases with the capabilities of large-language models (LLMs). This has raised concerns about ethics, education, regulation, intellectual property, and even criminal activities. We analyzed the potential of generative AI and LLM technologies for future software development paths. We propose four primary scenarios, model trajectories for transitions between them, and reflect against relevant software development operations. The motivation for this research is clear: the software development industry needs new tools to understand the potential, limitations, and risks of generative AI, as well as guidelines for using it.
Shear Strength and Consolidation Behaviour of Kaolin Clay Reinforced with a Granular Column Backfilled with Crushed Waste Glass
Authors: Kazmi Danish , Serati Mehdi , Williams David J. , Olaya Sebastian Quintero , Qasim Sadaf , Cheng Yi Pik , Grizi Athina , Javadi Akbar A. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Granular columns are commonly used for ground improvement. However, minimal research is presently available on the effect of backfill particle size on the geotechnical performance of granular column-reinforced soil. Geo-environmentally, using crushed waste glass (CWG) as a sustainable replacement for depleting traditional construction sands could offer a cleaner feedstock to backfill granular columns while helping recycle growing stockpiles of waste glass, potentially supporting the circular economy transition and decarbonisation of the construction industry. Given these multi-pronged motivations, this study investigated the shear strength and consolidation behaviour of kaolin reinforced with a CWG granular column. Three different particle size ranges (PSR) of CWG were discretely used to install a granular column in the kaolin bed, including fine (0.50–1.0 mm), medium (1.0–1.7 mm) and coarse (1.7–3.35 mm) particles with median particle sizes of 0.78 mm, 1.42 mm and 2.30 mm, respectively. The geocomposite containing a medium CWG column showed the highest increase in friction angle, increasing from 14.0° for kaolin only specimens to 20.7° for the geocomposites. Similarly, the consolidation behaviour of reinforced kaolin (geocomposites) was typically superior to that of kaolin only specimens. Notably, installing a coarse, medium or fine CWG column decreased the average compression index (Cc) of the geocomposites by almost 17%, 35% or 50%, respectively, compared to that of the kaolin only specimens. Given the promising results of this initial study, some suggestions are provided for future studies on assessing the application of CWG as an alternative backfill and sustainable geomaterial in granular column construction.

Video abstract
This internationally-partnered Video Abstract highlights the findings of the research study, indicating that crushed waste glass (CWG) could potentially serve as a sustainable geomaterial and be used as a replacement for traditional construction sand to backfill granular columns in clayey soils for ground improvement, helping reduce the unsustainable exploitation of sand resources and increasing waste glass recycling, potentially supporting the paradigm shift to a circular economy and contributing to decarbonisation of the construction industry.
Impacts of climate hazards on households along the Drakensberg Mountains in the Free State Province of South Africa
Authors: Ngwenya Sipiwe Janet , Mukwada Geoffrey 
Published: March 2024

AbstractMountains are climate change hotspots and their ecosystems are key components in the supply of ecosystem goods and services to local communities. Low-income communities that directly depend on mountain resources are highly vulnerable to the harsh impacts of climate change. Using rainfall and temperature trends, and data collected from a household questionnaire survey, the objective of this study is to assess the impact of climate change on low-income households living in the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality part of the Drakensberg Mountains. Climatic data were obtained from Climate Explorer while the household data were collected from a sample of 383 households in the villages of Qwaqwa. The results show that temperature and rainfall changes have significantly increased over a period of 120 years. About 51 percent of the respondents experienced extreme weather events which has the greatest impact on their households followed by drought (25.5%). Employment status was found to be significantly associated with the perception that hazards negatively impact natural resource availability, with 54% of those who had this perception being unemployed. In addition, income was found to have a significant relationship with extreme weather impacts on households and 60% of those households had a low monthly income of ZAR 2000 or less. Based on these findings, mountain households along the Drakensberg Mountains in Qwaqwa villages are already experiencing the negative impacts of climate change and their socio-economic characteristics indicate very low levels of adaptation capacity.
An ensemble learning interpretation of geometric semantic genetic programming
Authors: Dick Grant 
Published: March 2024

AbstractGeometric semantic genetic programming (GSGP) is a variant of genetic programming (GP) that directly searches the semantic space of programs to produce candidate solutions. GSGP has shown considerable success in improving the performance of GP in terms of program correctness, however this comes at the expense of exponential program growth. Subsequent attempts to address this growth have not fully-exploited the fact that GSGP searches by producing linear combinations of existing solutions. This paper examines this property of GSGP and frames the method as an ensemble learning approach by redefining mutation and crossover as examples of boosting and stacking, respectively. The ensemble interpretation allows for simple integration of regularisation techniques that significantly reduce the size of the resultant programs. Additionally, this paper examines the quality of parse tree base learners within this ensemble learning interpretation of GSGP and suggests that future research could substantially improve the quality of GSGP by examining more effective initialisation techniques. The resulting ensemble learning interpretation leads to variants of GSGP that substantially improve upon the performance of traditional GSGP in regression contexts, and produce a method that frequently outperforms gradient boosting.
I can be a “normal” student: the role of lecture capture in supporting disabled and neurodivergent students’ participation in higher education
Authors: Horlin Chiara , Hronska Barbora , Nordmann Emily 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAfter the return to on-campus teaching post-Covid, reports of student disengagement and low attendance are common and anxieties over the relationship between lecture recordings and attendance have re-emerged, leading some educators to remove recordings. To understand the potential impact of such decisions, this study explored how neurodivergent and disabled students use recordings using a qualitative survey approach. Reflexive thematic analysis emphasised the need for learning flexibility and questioned traditional lectures. Neurodivergent and disabled students raised concerns over accessibility, highlighting the crucial nature of recordings beyond attendance. For example, features such as pausing or speed adjusted were described as vital for managing learning among disabled and neurodivergent participants. Our findings do not support an uncritical view of lecture recordings. Participants discussed the self-discipline required for effective use and responses reflected prior concerns discussed in the literature regarding recordings leading to focusing on lectures to the detriment of other sources of information. However, despite challenges, we found multiple examples of students using recordings to maintain engagement as a successful self-regulated learner. In line with Universal Design for Learning, our findings support the provision of lecture recordings as an inclusive and accessible technology for all students, not just those with declared disabilities. All data and analysis code is available at https://osf.io/ue628/.
The Knossian Kamares Style as Transgenerational Memory
Authors: Prezioso Emanuele 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis paper introduces a new perspective on the constitutive role of material culture for memory using the Knossian Kamares pottery style as a case study. It challenges prevalent approaches in mainstream memory studies, which confine memory to individuals’ brains or minds, suggesting a deeper relationship between material culture and memory. Presenting a novel methodology rooted in cognitive archaeology to study the long-term making of Knossian Kamares decorations, I suggest that the Knossian Kamares pottery style is a transgenerational memory that enabled generations of artisans to remember, learn, and update technological skills and knowledge. I also claim that, in assuming this distributed, enactive, and non-representational stance on style as memory, it becomes evident that remembering is something we do: an active engagement that emerges with and through material culture in specific sociomaterial settings.
Fast response fabricated MoS2-photodiode based thin film
Authors: Khalil Ahmed Abdelhady A. , Karmalawi Abdallah M. , Abdelmageed Alaaeldin A. , Al-shamiri Hamdan A. S. , Shawkey Heba A. , Kana Maram T. H. Abou , Swillam Mohamed A. , Kandel Hamed M. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn this study, we present the fabrication and characterization of a thin film based on 1 T-MoS2 pn photodiode for the purpose of quick response photodetection application. The photodiode was fabricated using RF-sputtering process. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques were employed to investigate the surface topology and structural characteristics of the nanostructured MoS2 thin film. The electrical properties of the photodiode that was produced were examined by conducting measurements of its current–voltage (I-V) characteristics across a range of bias voltages spanning from − 2 to + 2 V. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the pn photodiode that was produced was determined to be as high as 9.8%. Additionally, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) was found to be as high as 10.5%. Furthermore, a time response of 1.748 ms was observed. The findings of this study illustrate the capability of MoS2 photodiodes in facilitating rapid response photodetection applications.
Multidomain chimeric enzymes as a promising alternative for biocatalysts improvement: a minireview
Authors: García-Paz Flor de María , Del Moral Sandra , Morales-Arrieta Sandra , Ayala Marcela , Treviño-Quintanilla Luis Gerardo , Olvera-Carranza Clarita 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Searching for new and better biocatalysts is an area of study in constant development. In nature, mechanisms generally occurring in evolution, such as genetic duplication, recombination, and natural selection processes, produce various enzymes with different architectures and properties. The recombination of genes that code proteins produces multidomain chimeric enzymes that contain two or more domains that sometimes enhance their catalytic properties. Protein engineering has mimicked this process to enhance catalytic activity and the global stability of enzymes, searching for new and better biocatalysts. Here, we present and discuss examples from both natural and synthetic multidomain chimeric enzymes and how additional domains heighten their stability and catalytic activity. Moreover, we also describe progress in developing new biocatalysts using synthetic fusion enzymes and revise some methodological strategies to improve their biological fitness.
Collimating three-axicon zoom system for interferometric Bessel beam side lobe cancellation
Authors: Schnieder Marco , Niemann Anna , Hüve Jana , Klingauf Jürgen 
Published: March 2024

AbstractOptical Bessel beams are used in numerous applications like fluorescence microscopy, material processing and optical trapping. These applications require Bessel beams having a central core with defined full width at half maximum and a defined axial length. Often, the side lobes of Bessel beams, which are associated with their non-diffracting properties, can interfere with the experimental process. We theoretically describe and practically verify the performance of a new refractive optical system to generate zoomable annular ring intensities. The ability to zoom the output ring diameter allows for flexibly choosing the Bessel beam parameters. Secondly, we introduce the use of a Michelson interferometer for destructively interfering Bessel beam side lobes in one direction. If two Bessel beams of zeroth order and first kind are coherently superposed with a small shift with respect to each other, their side lobes are enhanced in one direction and cancelled in the other direction. We suggest that applications like light-sheet microscopy can exploit the axis of destructive interference to improve their contrast.