julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
SIMULTANEOUS FITS IN ISIS ON THE EXAMPLE OF GRO J1008–57
2023-09-07

Parallel computing and steadily increasing computation speed have led to a new tool for analyzing multiple datasets and datatypes: fitting several datasets simultaneously. With this technique, physically connected parameters of individual data can be treated as a single parameter by implementing this connection directly into the fit. We discuss the terminology, implementation, and possible issues of simultaneous fits based on the Interactive Spectral Interpretation System (ISIS) X-ray data analysis tool. While all data modeling tools in X-ray astronomy in principle allow data to be fitted individually from multiple data sets, the syntax used in these tools is not often well suited for this task. Applying simultaneous fits to the transient X-ray binary GRO J1008–57, we find that the spectral shape is only dependent on X-ray flux. We determine time independent parameters e.g., the folding energy Efold, with unprecedented precision.
Gatekeeping and Social Closure in Academic Careers
2023-09-07

&lt;p&gt;Who becomes an elite member and why? As we know from the sociology of elites that elite status corresponds to societal status, power, and social background, the question arises to what extent scientific elite status is based on scientific performance and excellence or which other ascriptions constitute status advancement. Sociological studies on recruitment in elite circles point to the importance of cultural matching, which usually describes a fit between recruiters and candidates based on high culture (Friedman/Laurison 2020, Hartmann 2000, Rivera 2015). For science, however, there are hardly any studies so far that examine the &quot;getting on&quot; (Friedman/Laurison 2020: 9) within scientific careers regarding social background.&nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
Simulation Tool for Optical Systems: Evaluating and Optimizing Autofocals and Beyond
2023-09-07

Abstract The development and evaluation of autofocal glasses require robust and efficient tools for assessing their performance in various real-world scenarios. This study presents a novel virtual reality (VR) simulation tool designed to evaluate the control algorithms of autofocal glasses. The tool incorporates a matching task involving Landolt rings and Sloan letters presented on different screens at varying distances and a NASA Task Load Index (TLX) questionnaire to assess participants' subjective workload and convenience. By employing this experimental design, we aimed to gain insights into the effectiveness and efficiency of the evaluated control algorithms for autofocals within our VR-based simulation tool. Our results indicate that the developed VR simulation tool provides a valuable platform for assessing the performance of autofocal glasses in a controlled environment, ultimately contributing to the development of more efficient and user-friendly autofocal glasses.
Recovery of Plane Curves from Branch Points
2023-09-07

Abstract We recover plane curves from their branch points under projection onto a line. Our focus lies on cubics and quartics. These have 6 and 12 branch points respectively. The plane Hurwitz numbers 40 and 120 count the orbits of solutions. We determine the numbers of real solutions, and we present exact algorithms for recovery. Our approach relies on 150 years of beautiful algebraic geometry, from Clebsch to Vakil and beyond.
Bathing through Time and Landscape: Everyday Encounters and Reconstructions at Huaqing Hot Springs (1000–1900)
2023-09-07

Abstract Despite the long-standing interest in hot springs in China, this subject has remained understudied. This article explores how the most famous hot springs in China, the Huaqing Hot Springs 華清池 at Mount Li 驪山, were selectively reused and negotiated by different social groups from the tenth to the nineteenth century. It retraces the historical process of reconstructions at the Huaqing Hot Springs by local officials, religious practitioners, literati, and local inhabitants after the Huaqing palaces were abandoned by the Tang central court. In the post-Tang life of the Huaqing Hot Springs, the long-term co-existence of activities between various social classes and across the gender divide are deeply rooted in the local everyday usage of the hot springs. This article reveals multiple transformations within continuity in reimaging and reconstructing the hot springs landscape in Chinese history.
Repetitive paired-pulse TMS increases motor cortex excitability and visuomotor skill acquisition in young and older adults
2023-09-08

Abstract Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over primary motor cortex (M1) recruits indirect (I) waves that can be modulated by repetitive paired-pulse TMS (rppTMS). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of rppTMS on M1 excitability and visuomotor skill acquisition in young and older adults. A total of 37 healthy adults (22 young, 18–32 yr; 15 older, 60–79 yr) participated in a study that involved rppTMS at early (1.4 ms) and late (4.5 ms) interstimulus intervals (ISIs), followed by the performance of a visuomotor training task. M1 excitability was examined with motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes and short-interval intracortical facilitation (SICF) using posterior–anterior (PA) and anterior–posterior (AP) TMS current directions. We found that rppTMS increased M1 excitability in young and old adults, with the greatest effects for PA TMS at the late ISI (4.5 ms). Motor skill acquisition was improved by rppTMS at an early (1.4 ms) but not late (4.5 ms) ISI in young and older adults. An additional study using a non-I-wave interval (3.5 ms) also showed increased M1 excitability and visuomotor skill acquisition. These findings show that rppTMS at both I-wave and non-I-wave intervals can alter M1 excitability and improve visuomotor skill acquisition in young and older adults.
Randomized phase-III study of low-dose cytarabine and etoposide + /− all-trans retinoic acid in older unfit patients with NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia
2023-09-08

Abstract The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the impact of all- trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in combination with non-intensive chemotherapy in older unfit patients (&gt; 60 years) with newly diagnosed NPM1 -mutated acute myeloid leukemia. Patients were randomized (1:1) to low-dose chemotherapy with or without open-label ATRA 45 mg/m 2 , days 8–28; the dose of ATRA was reduced to 45 mg/m 2 , days 8–10 and 15 mg/m 2 , days 11–28 after 75 patients due to toxicity. Up to 6 cycles of cytarabine 20 mg/day s.c., bid, days 1–7 and etoposide 100 mg/day, p.o. or i.v., days 1–3 with (ATRA) or without ATRA (CONTROL) were intended. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Between May 2011 and September 2016, 144 patients (median age, 77 years; range, 64–92 years) were randomized (72, CONTROL; 72, ATRA). Baseline characteristics were balanced between the two study arms. The median number of treatment cycles was 2 in ATRA and 2.5 in CONTROL. OS was significantly shorter in the ATRA compared to the CONTROL arm ( p = 0.023; median OS: 5 months versus 9.2 months, 2-years OS rate: 7% versus 10%, respectively). Rates of CR/CRi were not different between treatment arms; infections were more common in ATRA beyond treatment cycle one. The addition of ATRA to low-dose cytarabine plus etoposide in an older, unfit patient population was not beneficial, but rather led to an inferior outcome. The clinical trial is registered at clinicaltrialsregister.eu (EudraCT Number: 2010-023409-37, first posted 14/12/2010).
Cognitive Trajectories in Preclinical and Prodromal Alzheimer’s Disease Related to Amyloid Status and Brain Atrophy: A Bayesian Approach
2023-09-08

Background: Cognitive decline is a key outcome of clinical studies in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Objective: To determine effects of global amyloid load as well as hippocampus and basal forebrain volumes on longitudinal rates and practice effects from repeated testing of domain specific cognitive change in the AD spectrum, considering non-linear effects and heterogeneity across cohorts. Methods: We included 1,514 cases from three cohorts, ADNI, AIBL, and DELCODE, spanning the range from cognitively normal people to people with subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We used generalized Bayesian mixed effects analysis of linear and polynomial models of amyloid and volume effects in time. Robustness of effects across cohorts was determined using Bayesian random effects meta-analysis. Results: We found a consistent effect of amyloid and hippocampus volume, but not of basal forebrain volume, on rates of memory change across the three cohorts in the meta-analysis. Effects for amyloid and volumetric markers on executive function were more heterogeneous. We found practice effects in memory and executive performance in amyloid negative cognitively normal controls and MCI cases, but only to a smaller degree in amyloid positive controls and not at all in amyloid positive MCI cases. Conclusions: We found heterogeneity between cohorts, particularly in effects on executive functions. Initial increases in cognitive performance in amyloid negative, but not in amyloid positive MCI cases and controls may reflect practice effects from repeated testing that are lost with higher levels of cerebral amyloid.
Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography Tandem-Mass Spectrometry Untangles the Deep Metabolome of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter
2023-09-08

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the most complex chemical mixtures and plays a central role in biogeochemical cycles across our ecosphere. Despite its importance, DOM remains poorly understood at the molecular level. Over the last decades, significant efforts have been made to decipher the chemical composition of DOM by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Yet, the complexity and high degree of non-resolved isomers still hamper the full structural analysis of DOM. To overcome this challenge, we adapted a two-dimensional (2D) LC approach consisting of two reversed-phase dimensions with orthogonal pH, followed by MS/MS data acquisition and molecular networking. The 2D chromatography approach mitigates the complexity of DOM, enhancing both the quality of MS/MS spectra and spectral annotation rates. Applying our approach to analyze coastal surface DOM from Southern California (USA), we annotated in total more than 600 structures via MS/MS spectrum matching, which was up to 90% more than in iterative 1D LC-MS/MS analysis with the same total run time. Our data provide an unprecedented view into the molecular composition of coastal DOM, highlighting the potential of 2D LC-MS/MS approaches to decipher ultra-complex mixtures.
Emily Hund. The influencer industry: The quest for authenticity on social media
2023-09-08

The Influencer Industry: The Quest for Authenticity on Social Media, written by American media researcher Emily Hund, takes the reader on a scouting expedition into the U. S. influencer industry. Hund is a well-established author in social media influencer research, where her works on gender dynamics in the influencer industry have been particularly notable (e. g., Duffy &amp; Hund, 2015, 2019). These works look at social media influence from a creative industry’s angle, and The Influencer Industry also stands in this lineage. Although the title does not make it clear, the book offers, first and foremost, a chronological history of the influencer industry in the United States. Beginning with the advent of political bloggers in the late 1990s, each chapter focuses on a specific period and the overarching developmental milestones Hund identifies as constituting the period. This way, Hund provides a much-needed historical perspective on the influencer industry. However, the book wants to be more than that – and it definitely is – in that it also reflects on how the influencer industry impacts contemporary forms of sociation.
OBSERVATIONS OF THE HIGH-MASS X-RAY BINARY A 0535+26 IN QUIESCENCE
2023-09-08

We have analyzed three observations of the high-mass X-ray binary A 0535+26 performed by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) three, five, and six months after the last outburst in 2011 February. We detect pulsations only in the second observation. The 3–20 keV spectra can be fit equally well with either an absorbed power law or absorbed thermal bremsstrahlung model. Reanalysis of two earlier RXTE observations made 4 yr after the 1994 outburst, original BeppoSAX observations 2 yr later, reanalysis of four EXOSAT observations made 2 yr after the last 1984 outburst, and a recent XMM-Newton observation in 2012 reveal a stacked, quiescent flux level decreasing from ∼2 to &lt;1 × 10−11 erg cm−2 s−1 over 6.5 yr after outburst. The detection of pulsations during half of the quiescent observations would imply that accretion onto the magnetic poles of the neutron star continues despite the fact that the circumstellar disk may no longer be present. The accretion could come from material built up at the corotation radius or from an isotropic stellar wind.
Impact of a mental training program for pediatric cancer patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or high-dose chemotherapy – Results of a randomized controlled trial
2023-09-08

Abstract Objectives Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or intensive chemotherapy for the treatment of malignant diseases is a highly distressing experience. The affected person’s resilience is crucial to coping with this challenging experience. Experience with resilience-enhancing interventions in children and young adults during cancer therapy is scarce. The major objective of this work was developing and evaluating an effective psycho-oncological mental training that complements the standard psychosocial care. Methods In this prospective, randomized single-center study, a total of 30 patients (12 to 22 years of age) who underwent HSCT or high-dose chemotherapy received either the standard psychosocial care (control group [CG]) or additionally underwent a novel and specifically developed resilience-enhancing 14-session mental training (therapy group [TG]). The patients were observed over an 8-month period and were screened for distress, thyroid, and immune function parameters, as well as generalized anxiety, affect, and sports orientation. Results Patients of the TG showed significantly greater improvements in all assessed mental aspects, including anxiety, affect, competitiveness, win orientation, goal orientation, self-optimization, self-blocking, and loss of focus, as well as cortisol levels within 8 months, as opposed to patients of the CG (effect size range ξ : 0.74–1.00). Significance of results Patients who underwent the mental training displayed less anxiety, better affect, and improved mental performance with less self-blocking. This resulted in improved goal orientation, competitiveness, self-optimization, and focus when compared to the CG patients. However, larger prospective trials are necessary to substantiate these findings.
Testing for pharmacogenomic predictors of ppRNFL thinning in individuals exposed to vigabatrin
2023-09-08

Background The anti-seizure medication vigabatrin (VGB) is effective for controlling seizures, especially infantile spasms. However, use is limited by VGB-associated visual field loss (VAVFL). The mechanisms by which VGB causes VAVFL remains unknown. Average peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (ppRNFL) thickness correlates with the degree of visual field loss (measured by mean radial degrees). Duration of VGB exposure, maximum daily VGB dose, and male sex are associated with ppRNFL thinning. Here we test the hypothesis that common genetic variation is a predictor of ppRNFL thinning in VGB exposed individuals. Identifying pharmacogenomic predictors of ppRNFL thinning in VGB exposed individuals could potentially enable safe prescribing of VGB and broader use of a highly effective drug. Methods Optical coherence topography (OCT) and GWAS data were processed from VGB-exposed individuals ( n = 71) recruited through the EpiPGX Consortium. We conducted quantitative GWAS analyses for the following OCT measurements: (1) average ppRNFL, (2) inferior quadrant, (3) nasal quadrant, (4) superior quadrant, (5) temporal quadrant, (6) inferior nasal sector, (7) nasal inferior sector, (8) superior nasal sector, and (9) nasal superior sector. Using the summary statistics from the GWAS analyses we conducted gene-based testing using VEGAS2. We conducted nine different PRS analyses using the OCT measurements. To determine if VGB-exposed individuals were predisposed to having a thinner RNFL, we calculated their polygenic burden for retinal thickness. PRS alleles for retinal thickness were calculated using published summary statistics from a large-scale GWAS of inner retinal morphology using the OCT images of UK Biobank participants. Results The GWAS analyses did not identify a significant association after correction for multiple testing. Similarly, the gene-based and PRS analyses did not reveal a significant association that survived multiple testing. Conclusion We set out to identify common genetic predictors for VGB induced ppRNFL thinning. Results suggest that large-effect common genetic predictors are unlikely to exist for ppRNFL thinning (as a marker of VAVFL). Sample size was a limitation of this study. However, further recruitment is a challenge as VGB is rarely used today because of this adverse reaction. Rare variants may be predictors of this adverse drug reaction and were not studied here.
Lehrer_innenprofessionalität und Achtsamkeit
2023-09-08

Abstract Teacher Professionalism and Mindfulness. Theory and Practice Reflection from the Perspective of Mindful Education In the article, we discuss the question how basic concerns of mindful education can be theoretically and systematically addressed in the context of teacher professionalism and how they can be applied in an exemplary case work on gender issues to make a concrete contribution to the professionalization of teachers in that regard.
Game elements enhance engagement and mitigate attrition in online learning tasks
2023-09-09

A growing body of literature suggests that adding game elements to learning tasks indirectly influences the learning process by increasing engagement with the tasks. The present study aims to advance learning engagement research by examining an often neglected subcomponent of behavioral engagement, attrition. Implementing two equivalent versions of a learning task, differing solely in the presence of game elements, allowed unequivocal attribution of any effect on the presence of game elements. Conducting the study in an online learning environment allowed further a highly unconstrained examination of the effects of game elements on attrition. We found that game elements affected both participant attrition and engagement of participants who completed the learning task. Participants with low self-efficacy were particularly prone to drop out in the non-game condition. Game elements also affected both learning efficacy and efficiency. We further found task attractivity to partially mediate the effect of game elements on learning outcomes. The results suggest that by facilitating engagement via task attractivity game elements can compensate to some extent for the increased cognitive demand that the game elements induce. We finally discuss the importance of considering the interrelations between learner characteristics, game elements, and engagement for interpreting results on learning performance measures.
Impact of newborn screening for SCID on the management of congenital athymia
2023-09-09

NBS contributes to earlier recognition of congenital athymia, promoting referral of athymic patients for thymus transplantation before they acquire infections or other complications and facilitating treatment at a younger age, thus playing an important role in improving their outcomes.
Standardized, risk-adapted induction therapy in kidney transplantation
2023-09-09

Abstract Background The choice of induction therapy in kidney transplantation is often non-standardized and centre-specific. Clinicians can choose between depleting and non-depleting antibodies, which differ in their immunosuppressive capacity and the concomitant risk of infection. We herein present a standardized risk-stratified algorithm for induction therapy that might help to balance the risk of rejection and/or serious infection. Methods Prior to kidney transplantation, patients were stratified into low-risk, intermediate-risk or high-risk according to our protocol based on immunologic risk factors. Depending on their individual immunologic risk, patients received basiliximab (low risk), antithymocyte globulin (intermediate risk) or low-dose alemtuzumab (high risk) for induction therapy. We analysed the results after 3 years of implementation of our risk-stratified induction therapy protocol at our kidney transplant centre. Results Between 01/2017 and 05/2020, 126 patients were stratified in accordance with our protocol (low risk/intermediate risk/high risk: 69 vs. 42 vs. 15 patients). The median follow-up time was 1.9 [1.0–2.5] years. No significant difference was observed in rejection rate and allograft survival (low risk/intermediate risk/high risk: 90.07% vs. 80.81% vs. 100% after 3 years (p &gt; 0.05)) among the groups. The median eGFR at follow-up was (low risk/intermediate risk/high risk) 47 [33–58] vs 58 [46–76] vs 44 [22–55] ml/min/1.73 m 2 . Although the rate of viral and bacterial infections did not differ significantly, we observed a higher rate of opportunistic fungal infections with alemtuzumab induction. Conclusions Our strategy offers facilitated and individualized choice of induction therapy in kidney transplantation. We propose further evaluation of our algorithm in prospective trials.
Reflecting the causes of variability of EEG responses elicited by cerebellar TMS
2023-09-09

Recently, Fong et al. published EEG responses in cerebral cortex elicited by cerebellar TMS (cbTMS) (Fong et al., 2023), which differ from our recently identified cbTMS-EEG responses (Gassmann et al., 2022). Fong et al. argued that this discrepancy is due to coil placement unsuitable for eliciting cerebellar brain inhibition (CBI) in our study. However, we reliably elicited CBI in our subjects. Consequently, this leads to a compelling discussion on possible reasons for the observed discrepancies in cbTMS-evoked EEG responses. Reliably measuring cbTMS-evoked EEG responses could become an important neurophysiological tool to test effective cerebellum-to-cortex connectivity.
Observational appearance of Kaluza–Klein black holes
2023-09-10

Abstract The optical properties of rotating black holes in Kaluza–Klein theory described by the total mass, spin, and electric and magnetic charges are investigated in detail. Using a developed general relativistic ray-tracing code to calculate the motion of photons, shadows of Kaluza–Klein black holes are generated. The properties of the shadow and the light deflection angle around these black holes are also studied in order to put constraints on the parameters of Kaluza–Klein black holes using M87* shadow observations. The possibility of imposing constraints on Kaluza–Klein black holes using shadow observations is investigated. Moreover, we find that small charges (electric and magnetic) of the black hole can meet these constraints. We conclude that with the current precision of the M87* black hole shadow image observation by the EHT collaboration, the shadow observations of Kaluza–Klein black holes are indistinguishable from that of the Kerr black hole. Much better observational accuracy than the current capabilities of the EHT collaboration are required in order to place verified constraints on the parameters of modified theories of gravity in the strong field regime.