bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Decomposing diversity into measures of evenness, similarity, and richness
Authors: Chen Bingzhang , Grinfeld Michael 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIt has long been recognized that diversity has many measurable aspects, such as richness, evenness, and similarity among species. However, given a diversity index, it is unclear whether it necessarily can be decomposed into components that reflect these different aspects. Here, we present a scheme to decompose the Leinster and Cobbold diversity index, which subsumes and generalizes many other indices, into the components of richness, evenness and taxonomic similarity. Our approach addresses the problem that in general a vector of equal relative abundances does not maximize diversity. Furthermore, our approach uses all available information to give unbiased estimates of both evenness and similarity.
Species identification through deep learning and geometrical morphology in oaks (Quercus spp.): Pros and cons
Authors: Qi Min , Du Fang K. , Guo Fei , Yin Kangquan , Tang Jijun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPlant phenotypic characteristics, especially leaf morphology of leaves, are an important indicator for species identification. However, leaf shape can be extraordinarily complex in some species, such as oaks. The great variation in leaf morphology and difficulty of species identification in oaks have attracted the attention of scientists since Charles Darwin. Recent advances in discrimination technology have provided opportunities to understand leaf morphology variation in oaks. Here, we aimed to compare the accuracy and efficiency of species identification in two closely related deciduous oaks by geometric morphometric method (GMM) and deep learning using preliminary identification of simple sequence repeats (nSSRs) as a prior. A total of 538 Asian deciduous oak trees, 16 Q. aliena and 23 Q. dentata populations, were firstly assigned by nSSRs Bayesian clustering analysis to one of the two species or admixture and this grouping served as a priori identification of these trees. Then we analyzed the shapes of 2328 leaves from the 538 trees in terms of 13 characters (landmarks) by GMM. Finally, we trained and classified 2221 leaf‐scanned images with Xception architecture using deep learning. The two species can be identified by GMM and deep learning using genetic analysis as a priori. Deep learning is the most cost‐efficient method in terms of time‐consuming, while GMM can confirm the admixture individuals' leaf shape. These various methods provide high classification accuracy, highlight the application in plant classification research, and are ready to be applied to other morphology analysis.
Data assimilation experiments inform monitoring needs for near‐term ecological forecasts in a eutrophic reservoir
Authors: Wander Heather L. , Thomas R. Quinn , Moore Tadhg N. , Lofton Mary E. , Breef‐Pilz Adrienne , Carey Cayelan C. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEcosystems around the globe are experiencing changes in both the magnitude and fluctuations of environmental conditions due to land use and climate change. In response, ecologists are increasingly using near‐term, iterative ecological forecasts to predict how ecosystems will change in the future. To date, many near‐term, iterative forecasting systems have been developed using high temporal frequency (minute to hourly resolution) data streams for assimilation. However, this approach may be cost‐prohibitive or impossible for forecasting ecological variables that lack high‐frequency sensors or have high data latency (i.e., a delay before data are available for modeling after collection). To explore the effects of data assimilation frequency on forecast skill, we developed water temperature forecasts for a eutrophic drinking water reservoir and conducted data assimilation experiments by selectively withholding observations to examine the effect of data availability on forecast accuracy. We used in situ sensors, manually collected data, and a calibrated water quality ecosystem model driven by forecasted weather data to generate future water temperature forecasts using Forecasting Lake and Reservoir Ecosystems (FLARE), an open source water quality forecasting system. We tested the effect of daily, weekly, fortnightly, and monthly data assimilation on the skill of 1‐ to 35‐day‐ahead water temperature forecasts. We found that forecast skill varied depending on the season, forecast horizon, depth, and data assimilation frequency, but overall forecast performance was high, with a mean 1‐day‐ahead forecast root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.81°C, mean 7‐day RMSE of 1.15°C, and mean 35‐day RMSE of 1.94°C. Aggregated across the year, daily data assimilation yielded the most skillful forecasts at 1‐ to 7‐day‐ahead horizons, but weekly data assimilation resulted in the most skillful forecasts at 8‐ to 35‐day‐ahead horizons. Within a year, forecasts with weekly data assimilation consistently outperformed forecasts with daily data assimilation after the 8‐day forecast horizon during mixed spring/autumn periods and 5‐ to 14‐day‐ahead horizons during the summer‐stratified period, depending on depth. Our results suggest that lower frequency data (i.e., weekly) may be adequate for developing accurate forecasts in some applications, further enabling the development of forecasts broadly across ecosystems and ecological variables without high‐frequency sensor data.
Filament analysis based on mathematical morphology of surface dielectric barrier discharges in N2/O2 mixtures
Authors: Uemura Takuma , Komuro Atsushi , Ono Ryo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we measured the electrical potential distribution of surface dielectric barrier discharges (SDBD) caused by alternating voltage in synthetic air and nitrogen using the Pockels effect. It was shown that different potential distributions of filament thickness and length are generated in synthetic air and nitrogen. A filament analysis based on mathematical morphology was performed to quantify the geometric characteristics of the filaments produced in each gas atmosphere. The results show that the discharge filament thickness and the entropy in the filament direction depend on the oxygen ratio and the magnitude of the applied voltage.
Reactivity of Biomass‐Derived Olefins with Elemental Sulfur: Mechanistic Insight
Authors: Kapuge Dona Nawoda L. , Maladeniya Charini P. , Smith Rhett C. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractLignocellulosic biomass remains underutilized despite its annual production in gigaton quantities. Sulfur is another vastly underutilized waste product of fossil fuel refining. New mechanistic insight into the reactions of sulfur unveiled since 2020 suggest a rich and hitherto unexplored chemistry between biomass‐derived olefins and elemental sulfur. In this study, four biomass‐derived olefins (eugenol (1), 4‐allyl‐2,6‐dimethoxyphenol (2),o‐eugenol (3), and 2‐allyl‐6‐methylphenol(4)) were reacted with elemental sulfur to elucidate the S−C bond‐forming and other reactivity of these compounds. Each of the compounds was reacted with elemental sulfur in three sulfur : organic reactant ratios (2 : 1, 4 : 1 and 9 : 1) and at two temperatures (180 °C or 230 °C). Product mixtures were characterized using1H NMR spectrometry and GC‐MS analysis. Products resulting from a range of mechanisms were unveiled, including inverse vulcanization, S−Callylic/benzylicbond formation, S−Carylbond formation, intramolecular cyclization, C−C σ‐bond scission, and C−O σ‐bond scission. It is anticipated that the insights from this study will support further synergy between the critical sustainability goals of biomass and sulfur utilization.
Pd‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Aryl Esters Involving Difluorocarbene Transfer Carbonylation
Authors: Wang Lu , Hu Chengxian , Yang Xue , Fu Ying , Du Zhengyin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractA Pd‐catalyzed three‐component intermolecular reaction between aryl halides, ClCF2COONa and phenols is developed. A series of aryl benzoates were synthesized in up to 84 % yield via difluorocarbene transfer carbonylation. It is devoted to acquiring the targeted products by construction of new C−C, C=O and C−O bonds in a one‐pot, one‐step process. The feature of this method includes the use of readily available starting materials, showing outstanding resistance to spatial obstruction and simple operation procedure with mild reaction conditions. Therefore, this makes the methodology a useful alternative to other schemes typically used for the synthesis of aryl esters.
The relationships between affect dimensions and level of construal
Authors: Efrat‐Treister Dorit , Oreg Shaul , Dover Yaniv 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe relationship between affect and cognition is a central topic of interest in psychology. In this study, we focus on the relationship of affect valence and activation with construal level. Existing findings are inconsistent. We propose that these inconsistencies may result from the interdependency of affect valence and activation and propose that valence and activation interact in predicting construal level. Specifically, we propose that, overall, valence has a positive effect on construal level, and that activation accentuates the effect of valence. We test our predictions through a text analysis of event descriptions in four data sets: TripAdvisor hotel reviews (N = 330,853); Yelp restaurant reviews (N = 648,974); Amazon Digital Music reviews (N = 1,518,409); and Twitter Negative Emotions database (N = 8,756). Results confirm the predicted V‐shaped relationship between valence and activation, and the moderating effect of activation on the relationship between valence and construal level. We discuss these findings and the inconsistencies across studies.
Space, mortality, and economic growth
Authors: Cupido Kyran , Jevtić Petar , Boonen Tim J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCurrently, most academic research involving the mortality modeling of multiple populations mainly focuses on factor‐based approaches. Increasingly, these models are enriched with socio‐economic determinants. Yet these emerging mortality models come with little attention to interpretable spatial model features. Such features could be highly valuable to demographers and old‐age benefit providers in need of a comprehensive understanding of the impact of economic growth on mortality across space. To address this, we propose and investigate a family of models that extend the seminal Li‐Lee factor‐based stochastic mortality modeling framework to include both economic growth, as measured by the real gross domestic product (GDP), and spatial patterns of the contiguous United States mortality. Model selection performed on the introduced new class of spatial models shows that based on the AIC criteria, the introduced spatial lag of GDP with GDP (SLGG) model had the best fit. The out‐of‐sample forecast performance of SLGG model is shown to be more accurate than the well‐known Li–Lee model. When it comes to model implications, a comparison of annuity pricing across space revealed that the SLGG model admits more regional pricing differences compared to the Li‐Lee model.
Electromyography findings in radiation‐induced unilateral tongue immobility
Authors: Harley Randall J. , Johnson Jonas T. , Nilsen Marci L. , Munin Michael C. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundWe used electromyography to characterize hypoglossal nerve function among radiation‐treated head and neck cancer survivors with later onset unilateral tongue immobility.MethodsPatients with unilateral tongue immobility without evidence of recurrent cancer were seen at a tertiary academic institution between February and September 2021. All patients were at least 2 years post‐treatment with radiation therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Participants were under annual surveillance and displayed no evidence of operative injury to the hypoglossal nerve.ResultsThe median symptom‐free interval for the 10 patients included in this study was 13.2 years (range 2–25 years). Myokymia alone was present in 3 of 10 patients, fibrillation potentials alone were present in 3 of 10 patients, and 1 subject displayed both fibrillation and myokymia. Three out of 10 patients had normal hypoglossal nerve function.DiscussionThese findings highlight how disparate mechanisms may underlie similar clinical presentations of radiation‐induced neuromuscular dysfunction.
Raising the issue of quality in implementation science reporting in global health: Implications for health planning and practice
Authors: Rose Alexandra L. , Jack Helen E. , Rasheed Muneera A. , Magidson Jessica F. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractImplementation outcomes, which focus on the barriers to, and facilitators and processes of healthcare delivery, are critical to translating research evidence to health planning and practice and to improving healthcare delivery. This article summarises key quality issues in reporting of implementation science outcomes within global health and describes the ways in which this presents a challenge for shifting health planning and practice across low‐resource health systems. This article also suggests that the wider use of reporting guidelines for implementation outcomes could help address this issue.
Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on trauma mortality patients: A retrospective observational study in an Iranian level 1 trauma center
Authors: Ayatizadeh Seyyed HamidReza , Borazjani Roham , Fereidooni Reza , Jamali Kazem , Fard Hossein Abdolrahimzadeh , Homaeifar Reza , Shayan Leila , Saadatjoo Zohreh , Paydar Shahram 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsThe COVID‐19 pandemic has reshaped the epidemiology of various clinical conditions, including trauma which is closely tied to social policies. This study examines and compares the characteristics of trauma mortality patients, and their initial prognostic trauma scores, in the pre‐pandemic and pandemic periods.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study involving patients who passed away at a level 1 trauma center from July 23, 2018, to February 19, 2020 (prepandemic), and from February 20, 2020, to September 22, 2021 (pandemic). A subgroup analysis that matched 12 of the same months of the year in the two periods was also done. Patients who arrived deceased or passed away immediately upon arrival were excluded from data analysis. We collected and analyzed demographic and clinical data, employing the Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and Trauma and ISS (TRISS) to compare initial prognoses.ResultsOur study encompassed 1128 patients, with 529 in the prepandemic group and 599 in the pandemic group. Demographic characteristics showed no significant differences in the number of patients in the two periods. Motor vehicle accidents remained the predominant injury mechanism in both periods. While the mean ISS increased insignificantly (22.80 vs. 22.91, p = 0.902), the mean RTS decreased (6.32 vs. 5.82), and TRISS increased (23.97% vs. 28.93%) during the pandemic (p < 0.05). Hospital length of stay decreased in the pandemic period (15.57 vs. 12.54 days, p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed increased ISS, decreased RTS, and increased TRISS during the pandemic (p < 0.05).ConclusionIn conclusion, while overall demographics and injury mechanisms remained virtually unchanged, trauma patients during the pandemic displayed worse estimated clinical prognoses, particularly in physiological trauma scores. The heightened mortality rate was attributed to poorer clinical conditions of patients.
An intervention to improve antibiotic prescription behavior in veterinary students: A protocol based on the multi‐theory model to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Hassani Laleh , Toghroli Razie , Aghamolaei Teamur , Sharifi Hamid , Jajarmi Maziar , Sharma Manoj 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat. Moreover, incorrect and inappropriate drug prescription behavior is considered a fundamental risk factor. Thus, the present study aims to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program based on the multi‐theoretical model (MTM) in improving antibiotic prescription behavior in veterinary students of Iran.MethodsThe present study will include four phases including a qualitative phase, an instrument design and psychometric test phase, and a cross‐sectional, and an interventional phase. In the first phase, the sampling will be purposive with a maximum variety. The interviews will be conducted with a sample of veterinarians.ResultsThe data will be analyzed in MAXQDA 10. In the second phase, the face and content validity will be tested by a panel of experts as field specialists. A confirmatory factor analysis will be used to test construct validity, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intracluster correlation coefficient will be used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. Then, at this stage, a number of veterinary students will be selected through a multi‐stage sampling method. In the cross‐sectional phase, another sample of veterinary students will complete a researcher‐made questionnaire. Then, Spearman's correlation coefficient test will be used to test the relationship between the two stages of behavior initiation and behavior continuation. The data will be analyzed in SPSS 22. In the third phase, some veterinary students will be selected through a census and will be randomly divided into a control and an intervention group. To collect data in the final phase, the researcher‐made questionnaire that was designed in the second phase of the study based on a multi‐theory model will be used to extract data. To compare demographic characteristics, compare the correlation between the constructs of the multi‐theory model with antibiotic prescribing behavior in the cross‐sectional phase and compare the scores of the constructs of the MTM in two intervention and control groups paired‐samplesTtest and independent‐samplesTtest will be used.ConclusionThe present study will aim to improve antibiotic prescription behavior in veterinary students based on a MTM. The findings can be used as a model for training students in clinical fields such as veterinary medicine and general medicine at university at a national level. After verification and approval by experts and university professors, we can expect a change in the educational curriculum to include instructions on how to write out prescriptions for students. There are hopes that the present study if conducted accurately and widely to help prevent AMR in livestock, humans, and society.
Online versus in‐person surgical near‐peer teaching in undergraduate medical education during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A mixed‐methods study
Authors: Iyer Priyanka , Mok Valerie , Sehmbi Arjan Singh , Kessaris Nicos , Zakri Rhana , Dasgupta Prokar , Chandak Pankaj 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic stimulated a paradigm shift in medical and surgical education from in‐person teaching to online teaching. It is unclear whether an in‐person or online approach to surgical teaching for medical students is superior. We aim to compare the outcomes of in‐person versus online surgical teaching in generating interest in and improving knowledge of surgery in medical students. We also aim the quantify the impact of a peer‐run surgical teaching course.MethodsA six‐session course was developed by medical students and covered various introductory surgical topics. The first iteration was offered online to 70 UK medical students in March 2021, and the second iteration was in‐person for 20 students in November 2021. Objective and subjective knowledge was assessed through questionnaires before and after each session, and also for the entire course. Data were analyzed from this mixed‐methods study to compare the impact of online versus in‐person teaching on surgical knowledge and engagement.ResultsStudents in both iterations showed significant improvement of 33%–282% across the six sessions in knowledge and confidence after completing the course (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the level of objective knowledge, enjoyment, or organization of the course between online and in‐person groups, although the in‐person course was rated as more engaging (mean Likert score 9.1 vs. 9.7, p = 0.033).DiscussionSimilar objective and subjective surgical teaching outcomes were achieved in both iterations, including in “hands‐on” topics such as suturing, gowning, and gloving. Students who completed the online course did not have any lower knowledge or confidence in their surgical skills; however, the in‐person course was reported to be more engaging. Surgical teaching online and in‐person may be similarly effective and can be delivered according to what is most convenient for the circumstances, such as in COVID‐19.
Dexamphetamine increased speech and visual unimodal illusions in healthy participants without affecting temporal binding window
Authors: Voon Fui‐Ling , Loffman Sean J. , Lim Mark J. H. , Lee Joseph W. Y. , Iyyalol Rajan , Martin‐Iverson Mathew T. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractObjectiveStimuli received beyond a very short timeframe, known as temporal binding windows (TBWs), are perceived as separate events. In previous audio‐visual multisensory integration (McGurk effect) studies, widening of TBWs has been observed in people with schizophrenia. The present study aimed to determine if dexamphetamine could increase TBWs in unimodal auditory and unimodal visual illusions that may have some validity as experimental models for auditory and visual hallucinations in psychotic disorders.MethodsA double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, counter‐balanced crossover design with permuted block randomisation for drug order was followed. Dexamphetamine (0.45 mg/kg, PO, q.d.) was administered to healthy participants. Phantom word illusion (speech illusion) and visual‐induced flash illusion/VIFI (visual illusion) tests were measured to determine if TBWs were altered as a function of delay between stimuli presentations. Word emotional content for phantom word illusions was also analysed.ResultsDexamphetamine significantly increased the total number of phantom words/speech illusions (p < 0.01) for pooled 220–1100 ms ISIs in kernel density estimation and the number of positive valence words heard (beta = 2.20, 95% CI [1.86, 2.55], t = 12.46, p < 0.001) with a large effect size (std. beta = 1.05, 95% CI [0.89, 1.22]) relative to placebo without affecting the TBWs. For the VIFI test, kernel density estimation for pooled 0–801 ms ISIs showed a significant difference (p < 0.01) in the data distributions of number of target flash (es) perceived by participants after receiving dexamphetamine as compared with placebo.ConclusionsOverall, healthy participants who were administered dexamphetamine (0.45 mg/kg, PO, q.d.) experienced increases in auditory and visual illusions in both phantom word illusion and VIFI tests without affecting their TBWs.