bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of demographic factors on the occurrence of motion artefacts in HR-pQCT
Authors: Benedikt Stefan , Rieser Lukas , Schmidle Gernot , Stock Kerstin , Horling Lukas , Degenhart Gerald , Arora Rohit 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Summary

The study shows a high incidence of motion artefacts in a central European population and a significant increase of those artefacts with higher age. These findings may impact on the design and conduct of future in vivo HR-pQCT studies or at least help to estimate the potential number of drop outs due to unusable image quality.

Purpose
Motion artefacts in high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) are challenging, as they introduce error into the resulting measurement data. The aim of this study was to assess the general occurrence of motion artefacts in healthy distal radius and to evaluate the influence of demographic factors.

Methods
The retrospective study is based on 525 distal radius second-generation HR-pQCT scans of 95 patients. All stacks were evaluated by two experienced observers and graded according to the visual grading scale recommended by the manufacturer, ranging from grade 1 (no visible motion artefacts) to grade 5 (severe motion artefacts). Correlations between demographic factors and image quality were evaluated using a linear mixed effects model analysis.

Results
The average visual grading was 2.7 (SD ± 0.7). Age and severity of motion artefacts significantly correlated (p = 0.026). Patients aged 65 years or above had an average image quality between grades 1 and 3 in 72.7% of cases, while patients younger than 65 had an average image quality between grades 1 and 3 in 91.9% of cases. Gender, smoking behaviour, and handedness had no significant influence on motion artefacts.

Conclusion
This study showed a high incidence of motion artefacts in a representative central European population, but also a significant increase of motion artefacts with higher age. This could impact further study designs by planning for a sufficiently large and if possible a more selective study population to gain a representative amount of high-quality image data.
Quality aspects of annotated data
Authors: Beck Jacob 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThe quality of Machine Learning (ML) applications is commonly assessed by quantifying how well an algorithm fits its respective training data. Yet, a perfect model that learns from and reproduces erroneous data will always be flawed in its real-world application. Hence, a comprehensive assessment of ML quality must include an additional data perspective, especially for models trained on human-annotated data. For the collection of human-annotated training data, best practices often do not exist and leave researchers to make arbitrary decisions when collecting annotations. Decisions about the selection of annotators or label options may affect training data quality and model performance.In this paper, I will outline and summarize previous research and approaches to the collection of annotated training data. I look at data annotation and its quality confounders from two perspectives: the set of annotators and the strategy of data collection. The paper will highlight the various implementations of text and image annotation collection and stress the importance of careful task construction. I conclude by illustrating the consequences for future research and applications of data annotation. The paper is intended give readers a starting point on annotated data quality research and stress the necessity of thoughtful consideration of the annotation collection process to researchers and practitioners.
On global maritime oil piracy: an association rules analysis
Authors: Alexopoulos Thomas A. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractMaritime piracy is a global problem that disrupts oil flows and products. This research attempts to identify potential association rules between the features of hostile acts against tankers. To that end, the Apriori algorithm is used. We use data from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and modify them in a basket case style. Essential features of an attack are examined, such as the closeness to the coasts, the cruising status of the tankers, and the time neighboring other attacks. Despite the perception we have of them, it turns out that pirates follow conservative strategies. It is found that success is strongly coupled with the safety of the attack by striking near the coast and on anchored tankers. The produced association rules include different time-neighboring conditions and no values regarding the attack month. This implies no strong preference for starting an attack, close or far from a previous episode, and no seasonality.
Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19 Treated with Remdesivir in an Urban Center Pre-COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Chew Debra , Shiau Stephanie , Sudharshan Sree , Alankar Aparna , Desilva Malithi , Kodali Swetha , Raquepo Tricia Mae , Meilad Naema , Sudyn Alexander , Swaminathan Shobha 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Objective
Data on treatment outcomes among minority populations treated with remdesivir are limited. We sought to evaluate outcomes among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and treated with remdesivir among a predominantly Black and LatinX population.

Methods
This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and treated with remdesivir at an urban hospital in Newark, NJ, between May 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021, prior to widespread COVID-19 vaccination uptake. We describe 28-day mortality by demographic, socio-economic, and clinical factors, including clinical status by World Health Organization’s (WHO) 8-point Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement.

Results
A total of 206 patients met study inclusion criteria (52% were male, 41% non-Hispanic Black and 42% Hispanic). Overall mortality at 28 days was 11%. Eighty-one percent of patients with baseline WHO status of 4 or greater recovered by day 14. Mortality was higher among those who were older (p = 0.01), those with underlying diabetes mellitus (p = 0.047), those with more severe illness on admission by WHO Ordinal Scale (WHO status ≥ 4), and those on concomitant tociluzimab or convalescent plasma use.

Conclusions
We found that remdesivir was effective in treating most COVID-19 patients in our study. Traditional risk factors, such as advanced age and underlying co-morbidities, were associated with worse clinical outcomes and deaths.
Evaluation of the barrier and antimicrobial properties of biodegradable films based on potato waste starch containing natural additives
Authors: Castañón Vilca Joaquín Antonio , Ortiz-Quispe Briguit Stefany , Apaza-Cusiatau Christian Ricardo , Medrano de Jara Elizabeth , Quequezana-Bedregal Marcia Juana , Gutierrez-Oppe Evelyn Edith , Pessôa Filho Pedro de Alcântara 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThis study investigates the antimicrobial and water vapor barrier properties of biodegradable films made from potato (Solanum tuberosum) waste starch and the natural additives glycerol, propolis, and montmorillonite ("chaco"). Films were produced using the casting method, and their physical, antimicrobial, and barrier properties were analyzed. Film compositions were established using an experimental design of mixtures. The water vapor permeability values ranged from 0.44 × 10−10 to 8.55 × 10−10 g/(m·s·Pa). The permeation energy was lower than that of polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene films but higher than that of cellophane films. The solubility values ranged from 58 to 66%, and the tensile modulus ranged from 2.15 to 5.15 MPa. The largest inhibition halo diameter obtained for Staphylococcus aureus was 17 mm. The developed packages completely biodegrade within 30 days under composting conditions at ambient temperatures. These findings suggest the potential application of these biodegradable packages for fresh products such as fruits and vegetables.
Rates of convergence for regression with the graph poly-Laplacian
Authors: Trillos Nicolás García , Murray Ryan , Thorpe Matthew 
Published: November 2023

AbstractIn the (special) smoothing spline problem one considers a variational problem with a quadratic data fidelity penalty and Laplacian regularization. Higher order regularity can be obtained via replacing the Laplacian regulariser with a poly-Laplacian regulariser. The methodology is readily adapted to graphs and here we consider graph poly-Laplacian regularization in a fully supervised, non-parametric, noise corrupted, regression problem. In particular, given a dataset $$\{x_i\}_{i=1}^n$$

{

x
i

}

i
=
1

n

and a set of noisy labels $$\{y_i\}_{i=1}^n\subset \mathbb {R}$$

{

y
i

}

i
=
1

n

⊂
R

we let $$u_n{:}\{x_i\}_{i=1}^n\rightarrow \mathbb {R}$$

u
n

:

{

x
i

}

i
=
1

n

→
R

be the minimizer of an energy which consists of a data fidelity term and an appropriately scaled graph poly-Laplacian term. When $$y_i = g(x_i)+\xi _i$$

y
i

=
g

(

x
i

)

+

ξ
i

, for iid noise $$\xi _i$$

ξ
i

, and using the geometric random graph, we identify (with high probability) the rate of convergence of $$u_n$$

u
n

to g in the large data limit $$n\rightarrow \infty $$

n
→
∞

. Furthermore, our rate is close to the known rate of convergence in the usual smoothing spline model.
Hierarchical traits of rhizosphere soil microbial community and carbon metabolites of different diameter roots of Pinus tabuliformis under nitrogen addition
Authors: Jing Hang , Wang Huiling , Wang Guoliang , Liu Guobin , Cheng Yi 
Published: November 2023

AbstractStructures and functions were varied among roots with different diameters, and responded differently to nitrogen (N) addition, a phenomenon called hierarchical trait. However, the presence of this trait in carbon (C) metabolite of root exudate and rhizosphere microbial community remains unclear. We studied the patterns of C metabolites and microbial communities of rhizosphere soil among different diameter roots of Pinus tabulaeformis and their responses to N addition using metabolomics and high-throughput sequencing methods. Root C metabolites and rhizosphere soil microbial communities had hierarchical traits, in which exudates of R1 roots (0–0.5 mm) were rich in fatty acids and organic acids, while exudates of R3 roots (1–2 mm) were rich in carbohydrates and alcohols. With the increasing root diameters, numbers of bacteria and fungi of rhizosphere soil decreased and increased, respectively, while diversities of bacteria and fungi increased. N addition had a promotion effect on abundance of root C metabolites. Numbers of bacteria and fungi of rhizosphere soil were enhanced and inhibited, respectively, while diversities of bacteria and fungi were facilitated by N addition. N addition promoted microbial populations of rhizosphere soil by reducing exudates of R1 roots, and increasing exudates of R2 (0.5–1 mm) and R3 roots. Hippuric acid and cytidine-5´-monophosphate of R1 roots, lactic acid of R2 roots, glucose 1 and spermidine 2 of R3 roots were the functional C metabolites that affected microbial populations of rhizosphere soil, such as Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Basidiomycota, and Ascomycota. Hierarchical traits were extended from root to rhizosphere soil in this study.
Graphical Abstract
Revolving Doors: Social Dimensions of Law Firm Culture and Pathways out of Firms
Authors: Kay Fiona M. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractA growing body of research suggests that contemporary law firms face challenges with the retention of legal talent—especially women and racialized lawyers. Yet, we know little about the conditions that prompt lawyers to leave law firms or where they go after leaving. This article builds on the scholarship of John Hagan, emphasizing the role of social capital in law firm culture, and work by Emmanuel Lazega, tracing dimensions of law firm collegiality—both with implications for lawyers’ careers within and beyond law firms. I draw on data from a twenty-seven-year longitudinal survey of Canadian lawyers. Using piecewise exponential survival models, I examine organizational, cultural, and individual factors that may encourage mobility from law firms. The study reveals a pervasive gender difference that is not explained by human capital, organizational characteristics, or individual traits. Results also demonstrate the importance of social capital and firm culture—specifically, the presence of workplace policies of flexible scheduling, lawyers’ sense of a good match with their firm, their satisfaction with status rewards, and finally, the role of mentors—in shaping the flow of legal talent from law firms to various job destinations.
Rethinking Inclusion: Ideal Minorities, Inclusion Cultures, and Identity Capitals in the Legal Profession
Authors: Ballakrishnen Swethaa S. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractUsing preliminary observations from three parallel projects that employ a range of methods (network and content analysis, surveys, focus groups, and interviews), this article traces the experience of navigating different kinds of identity as useful capital within the legal profession. Identity is not the first kind of non-economic capital to influence professional navigation, but it is distinct in that it is owned and deployed primarily by minority actors. Adding to scholarship that has located the extensions for identity as capital, three interrelated contributions follow from this research. First, it reveals the prevalence of a diffuse field of diversity consciousness where, regardless of outcome, there is a sense that diversity is useful capital. Second, despite being notionally useful, these multi-method sources reveal the ways in which navigating such capital is simultaneously complicated for both actors within visible (e.g. race and perceived gender) and invisible (e.g. some disability, genderfluidity, and religion) identity categories. The isomorphic diversity posturing by organizations fosters a system where being a minority is seen as an advantage, but inclusion feels like accommodation either because it demands certain portrayals of precarity or because it leaves individuals unsure of their worth beyond the expected performance of their identity. As a result, even though the new version of the ideal professional norm might valorize identity as capital, it continues to serve organizations rather than individuals. Finally, these data make the methodological case for the usefulness of the periphery as an analytical vantage point to assess systemic inequalities in legal profession research.
Constructing a 3‐D Radially Anisotropic Crustal Velocity Model for Oklahoma Using Full Waveform Inversion
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Zhu Hejun 
Published: November 2023

AbstractOver the past decade, the seismicity rate in the state of Oklahoma has increased significantly, which has been linked to industrial operations, such as saltwater injection and hydraulic fracturing. Taking advantage of induced earthquakes and recently deployed seismometers, we construct a 3‐D radially anisotropic seismic velocity model for the crust of Oklahoma by using full waveform inversion. To mitigate the well‐known cycle‐skipping problem, we use misfit functions based on phase and waveform differences in several frequency bands. Relative velocity perturbations in the inverted model allow us to delineate major geological provinces in Oklahoma, such as the Anadarko Basin and the Cherokee Platform/Shelf. In addition, radial anisotropy in the inverted model reflects deformation within the crust of Oklahoma, which might correlate with sedimentary layering, microcracks/fractures, as well as dominant orientation of anisotropic minerals. The crystalline basement beneath Oklahoma can be inferred from the new velocity model, which enables us to better classify induced seismicity in current earthquake catalogs. Furthermore, synthetic experiments suggest that the new velocity model enables us to better constrain earthquake locations in Oklahoma, especially for determining their depths, which are important for investigating induced seismicity.
Experiments on Gravel‐Sand Transitions: Behavior of the Grain Size Gap Material
Authors: Dingle Elizabeth H. , Venditti Jeremy G. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractRiver bed sediments often lack fine gravel between 1 and 5 mm, a phenomenon referred to as the “grain size gap.” The gap corresponds to the rapid reduction in grain size associated with the gravel‐sand transition (GST), where median bed material grain size reduces from ∼10 mm gravel to ∼1 mm sand. Fine gravel grain sizes are often present in hillslope sediment, so it is not clear why they are absent on riverbed surfaces. We present a phenomenological laboratory experiment examining changes in sediment dynamics across a GST to examine the behavior of grain size gap material when included in the bed and feed grain size distributions. Our observations indicate that where sand falls out of washload, forming persistent surficial deposits at the GST, grain size gap material experiences enhanced mobility. This is due to hydraulic smoothing by sand that occurs because of a geometric effect, where medium sand bridges interstitial pockets in fine gravel bed surfaces. Our experiments show that gap gravel flux is enhanced by sand deposition, making gravel beds mobile at the threshold of motion. We are unable to maintain an immobile grain size gap gravel bed when sand is fed which explains why gravel beds composed of 1–5 mm particles are so rare on Earth. We hypothesize that in natural systems, grain size gap particles are either buried in the diffuse extension of GSTs or transported into coastal and marine environments where they are more commonly observed.
Globally limited but severe shallow-shelf euxinia during the end-Triassic extinction
Authors: Bond Andrew D. , Dickson Alexander J. , Ruhl Micha , Bos Remco , van de Schootbrugge Bas 
Published: November 2023

AbstractOne of the most severe extinctions of complex marine life in Earth’s history occurred at the end of the Triassic period (~201.4 million years ago). The marine extinction was initiated by large igneous province volcanism and has tentatively been linked to the spread of anoxic conditions. However, the global-scale pattern of anoxic conditions across the end-Triassic event is not well constrained. Here we use the sedimentary enrichment and isotopic composition of the redox-sensitive element molybdenum to reconstruct global–local marine redox conditions through the extinction interval. Peak δ98Mo values indicate that the global distribution of sulfidic marine conditions was similar to the modern ocean during the extinction interval. Meanwhile, Tethyan shelf sediments record pulsed, positive δ98Mo excursions indicative of locally oxygen-poor, sulfidic conditions. We suggest that pulses of severe marine de-oxygenation were restricted largely to marginal marine environments during the latest Triassic and played a substantial role in shallow-marine extinction phases at that time. Importantly, these results show that global marine biodiversity, and possibly ecosystem stability, were vulnerable to geographically localized anoxic conditions. Expanding present-day marine anoxia in response to anthropogenic marine nutrient supply and climate forcing may therefore have substantial consequences for global biodiversity and wider ecosystem stability.
Vortex nanolaser based on a photonic disclination cavity
Authors: Hwang Min-Soo , Kim Ha-Reem , Kim Jungkil , Yang Bohm-Jung , Kivshar Yuri , Park Hong-Gyu 
Published: November 2023

AbstractOptical vector vortex beams provide additional degrees of freedom for spatially distinguishable channels in data transmission. Although several coherent light sources carrying a topological singularity have been reported, it remains challenging to develop a general strategy for designing ultra-small, high-quality photonic nanocavities that generate and support optical vortex modes. Here we demonstrate wavelength-scale, low-threshold, vortex and anti-vortex nanolasers in a C5 symmetric optical cavity formed by a topological disclination. Various photonic disclination cavities are designed and analysed using the similarities between tight-binding models and optical simulations. Unique resonant modes are strongly confined in these cavities, which exhibit wavelength-scale mode volumes and retain topological charges in the disclination geometries. In the experiment, the optical vortices of the lasing modes are clearly identified by measuring polarization-resolved images, Stokes parameters and self-interference patterns. Demonstration of vortex nanolasers using our facile design procedure will pave the way towards next-generation optical communication systems.
Encapsulated stem cell–derived β cells exert glucose control in patients with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Keymeulen Bart , De Groot Kaat , Jacobs-Tulleneers-Thevissen Daniel , Thompson David M. , Bellin Melena D. , Kroon Evert J. , Daniels Mark , Wang Richard , Jaiman Manasi , Kieffer Timothy J. , Foyt Howard L. , Pipeleers Daniel 
Published: November 2023

AbstractClinical studies on the treatment of type 1 diabetes with device-encapsulated pancreatic precursor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells found that insulin output was insufficient for clinical benefit. We are conducting a phase 1/2, open-label, multicenter trial aimed at optimizing cell engraftment (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03163511). Here we report interim, 1-year outcomes in one study group that received 2–3-fold higher cell doses in devices with an optimized membrane perforation pattern. β cell function was measured by meal-stimulated plasma C-peptide levels at 3-month intervals, and the effect on glucose control was assessed by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and insulin dosing. Of 10 patients with undetectable baseline C-peptide, three achieved levels ≥0.1 nmol l−1 from month 6 onwards that correlated with improved CGM measures and reduced insulin dosing, indicating a glucose-controlling effect. The patient with the highest C-peptide (0.23 nmol l−1) increased CGM time-in-range from 55% to 85% at month 12; β cell mass in sentinel devices in this patient at month 6 was 4% of the initial cell mass, indicating directions for improving efficacy.
Next-generation MRI scanner designed for ultra-high-resolution human brain imaging at 7 Tesla
Authors: Feinberg David A. , Beckett Alexander J. S. , Vu An T. , Stockmann Jason , Huber Laurentius , Ma Samantha , Ahn Sinyeob , Setsompop Kawin , Cao Xiaozhi , Park Suhyung , Liu Chunlei , Wald Lawrence L. , Polimeni Jonathan R. , Mareyam Azma , Gruber Bernhard , Stirnberg Rüdiger , Liao Congyu , Yacoub Essa , Davids Mathias , Bell Paul , Rummert Elmar , Koehler Michael , Potthast Andreas , Gonzalez-Insua Ignacio , Stocker Stefan , Gunamony Shajan , Dietz Peter 
Published: November 2023

AbstractTo increase granularity in human neuroimaging science, we designed and built a next-generation 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner to reach ultra-high resolution by implementing several advances in hardware. To improve spatial encoding and increase the image signal-to-noise ratio, we developed a head-only asymmetric gradient coil (200 mT m−1, 900 T m−1s−1) with an additional third layer of windings. We integrated a 128-channel receiver system with 64- and 96-channel receiver coil arrays to boost signal in the cerebral cortex while reducing g-factor noise to enable higher accelerations. A 16-channel transmit system reduced power deposition and improved image uniformity. The scanner routinely performs functional imaging studies at 0.35–0.45 mm isotropic spatial resolution to reveal cortical layer functional activity, achieves high angular resolution in diffusion imaging and reduces acquisition time for both functional and structural imaging.