We revisit previous contrastive learning frameworks to investigate the effect of introducing an adaptive margin into the contrastive loss function for time series representation learning. Specifically, we explore whether an adaptive margin (eMargin), adjusted based on a predefined similarity threshold, can improve the separation between adjacent but dissimilar time steps and subsequently lead to better performance in downstream tasks. Our study evaluates the impact of this modification on clustering performance and classification in three benchmark datasets. Our findings, however, indicate that achieving high scores on unsupervised clustering metrics does not necessarily imply that the learned embeddings are meaningful or effective in downstream tasks. To be specific, eMargin added to InfoNCE consistently outperforms state-of-the-art baselines in unsupervised clustering metrics, but struggles to achieve competitive results in downstream classification with linear probing. The source code is publicly available at https://github.com/sfi-norwai/eMargin.
<p>The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha′apai volcano erupted on 15 January 2022, launching Lamb waves and gravity waves into the atmosphere. In this study, we present results using 13 globally distributed meteor radars and identify the volcanogenic gravity waves in the mesospheric/lower thermospheric winds. Leveraging the High-Altitude Mechanistic general Circulation Model (HIAMCM), we compare the global propagation of these gravity waves. We observed an eastward-propagating gravity wave packet with an observed phase speed of 240 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 5.7 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> and a westward-propagating gravity wave with an observed phase speed of 166.5 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 6.4 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>. We identified these waves in HIAMCM and obtained very good agreement of the observed phase speeds of 239.5 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 4.3 and 162.2 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 6.1 m s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the eastward the westward waves, respectively. Considering that HIAMCM perturbations in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere were the result of the secondary waves generated by the dissipation of the primary gravity waves from the volcanic eruption, this affirms the importance of higher-order wave generation. Furthermore, based on meteor radar observations of the gravity wave propagation around the globe, we estimate the eruption time to be within 6 min of the nominal value of 15 January 2022 04:15 UTC, and we localized the volcanic eruption to be within 78 km relative to the World Geodetic System 84 coordinates of the volcano, confirming our estimates to be realistic.</p>
Joachim Wallisch, Markus Lindner, Øyvind Wiig Petersen
et al.
Electrothermal de-icing systems are a popular approach to protect unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from the performance degradation caused by in-cloud icing. However, their power and energy requirements must be minimized to make these systems viable for small and medium-sized fixed-wing UAVs. Thermal de-icing systems allow intercycle ice accretions and can result in runback icing. Intercycle and runback ice increase the aircraft’s drag, requiring more engine thrust and energy. This study investigates the aerodynamic influence of intercycle and runback ice on a typical UAV wing. Lift and drag coefficients from a wind tunnel campaign and Ansys FENSAP-ICE simulations are compared. Intercycle ice shapes result in a drag increase of approx. 50% for a realistic cruise angle of attack. While dispersed runback ice increases the drag by 30% compared to the clean wing, a spanwise ice ridge can increase the drag by more than 170%. The results highlight that runback ice can significantly influence the drag coefficient. Therefore, it is important to design the de-icing system and its operation sequence to minimize runback ice. Understanding the need to minimize runback ice helps in designing viable de-icing systems for UAVs.
We consider a PDE-constrained optimization problem of tracking type with parabolic state equation. The solution to the problem is characterized by the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) system, which we formulate using a strong variational formulation of the state equation and a super weak formulation of the adjoined state equation. This allows us to propose a preconditioner that is robust both in the regularization and the diffusion parameter. In order to discretize the problem, we use Isogeometric Analysis since it allows the construction of sufficiently smooth basis functions effortlessly. To realize the preconditioner, one has to solve a problem over the whole space time cylinder that is elliptic with respect to certain non-standard norms. Using a fast diagonalization approach in time, we reformulate the problem as a collection of elliptic problems in space only. These problems are not only smaller, but our approach also allows to solve them in a time-parallel way. We show the efficiency of the preconditioner by rigorous analysis and illustrate it with numerical experiments.
Per G. Farup, Håvard Hamarsland, Knut Sindre Mølmen
et al.
Background: Changes in tryptophan metabolism through the kynurenine pathway (KP) are observed in several disorders and coupled with pathophysiological deviations. Methods: This study retrospectively compared the KP in serum in healthy subjects (108) with subjects with obesity (141), depression (49), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (22) participating in four clinical studies and explored predictors of the changes in the KP metabolites. Results: Compared with the healthy group, the KP was upregulated in the disease groups with high kynurenine, quinolinic acid (QA), kynurenine/tryptophan-ratio and QA/xanthurenic acid-ratio and low kynurenic acid/QA-ratio. Tryptophan and xanthurenic acid were upregulated in the depressed group compared with the groups with obesity and COPD. The covariates BMI, smoking, diabetes, and C-reactive protein explained the significant differences between the healthy group and the group with obesity but not between the healthy group and the groups with depression and COPD, indicating that different pathophysiological conditions result in the same changes in the KP. Conclusions: The KP was significantly upregulated in the disease groups compared with the healthy group, and there were significant differences between the disease groups. Different pathophysiological abnormalities seemed to result in the same deviations in the KP.
Line Widing, Carmen Simonsen, Thomas Bjella
et al.
AbstractIntroductionThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV diagnostic category “Psychotic disorder not otherwise specified” (PNOS) is seldom investigated, and we lack knowledge about long-term outcomes. We examined long-term symptom severity, global functioning, remission/recovery rates, and diagnostic stability after the first treatment for PNOS.MethodsParticipants with first-treatment PNOS (n = 32) were reassessed with structured interviews after 7 to 10 years. The sample also included narrow schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD, n = 94) and psychotic bipolar disorders (PBD, n = 54). Symptomatic remission was defined based on the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group criteria. Clinical recovery was defined as meeting the criteria for symptomatic remission and having adequate functioning for the last 12 months.ResultsParticipants with baseline PNOS or PBD had lower symptom severity and better global functioning at follow-up than those with SSD. More participants with PNOS and PBD were in symptomatic remission and clinical recovery compared to participants with SSD. Seventeen (53%) PNOS participants retained the diagnosis, while 15 participants were diagnosed with either SSD (22%), affective disorders (19%), or substance-induced psychotic disorders (6%). Those rediagnosed with SSD did not differ from the other PNOS participants regarding baseline clinical characteristics.ConclusionsLong-term outcomes are more favorable in PNOS and PBD than in SSD. Our findings confirm diagnostic instability but also stability for a subgroup of participants with PNOS. However, it is challenging to predict diagnostic outcomes of PNOS based on clinical characteristics at first treatment.
Modern vehicle communication development is a continuous process in which cutting-edge security systems are required. Security is a main problem in the Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET). Malicious node detection is one of the critical issues found in the VANET environment, with the ability to communicate and enhance the mechanism to enlarge the field. The vehicles are attacked by malicious nodes, especially DDoS attack detection. Several solutions are presented to overcome the issue, but none are solved in a real-time scenario using machine learning. During DDoS attacks, multiple vehicles are used in the attack as a flood on the targeted vehicle, so communication packets are not received, and replies to requests do not correspond in this regard. In this research, we selected the problem of malicious node detection and proposed a real-time malicious node detection system using machine learning. We proposed a distributed multi-layer classifier and evaluated the results using OMNET++ and SUMO with machine learning classification using GBT, LR, MLPC, RF, and SVM models. The group of normal vehicles and attacking vehicles dataset is considered to apply the proposed model. The simulation results effectively enhance the attack classification with an accuracy of 99%. Under LR and SVM, the system achieved 94 and 97%, respectively. The RF and GBT achieved better performance with 98% and 97% accuracy values, respectively. Since we have adopted Amazon Web Services, the network’s performance has improved because training and testing time do not increase when we include more nodes in the network.
<p>Euthecosomata pteropods were analysed in core sediments
collected
in the framework of the 2016 EUROFLEETS2 SEMSEEP cruise, offshore of Israel,
in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The investigated cores were retrieved in a
deep-sea coral area at 690 m depth, an actively methane-seeping pockmark
area at 1038 m depth, and a deep-sea channel area at 1310 m water depth.
We
identified and documented the pteropod species belonging to the families
Heliconoididae, Limacinidae, Creseidae, Cavoliniidae, Cliidae, and Hyalocylidae
and to some heteropods. Our study highlights the importance of investigating
pteropods in the size fractions <span class="inline-formula"><i>></i></span> 63 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>m instead of
the
<span class="inline-formula"><i>></i></span> 125 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>m only. In particular, neglecting the small
size
fraction may result in a remarkable (up to 50 %–60 %) underestimation of the
relative abundance of the epipelagic species <i>Creseis acicula</i> and
<i>Creseis conica</i> and the mesopelagic
species <i>Heliconoides inflatus</i>. This may significantly affect
palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.
The observed presence of tropical species supports the suggestion that the
eastern Mediterranean is a refugium for these species. This study provides
a
basic benchmark for the late Holocene evolution of pteropod and heteropod distribution over 5800–5300 cal BP across the base of the south-eastern Levantine margin.</p>
Santosh Gupta, Santosh Gupta, Akriti Sharma
et al.
Whole-organ re-engineering is the most challenging goal yet to be achieved in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. One essential factor in any transplantable and functional tissue engineering is fabricating a perfusable vascular network with macro- and micro-sized blood vessels. Whole-organ development has become more practical with the use of the decellularized organ biomatrix (DOB) as it provides a native biochemical and structural framework for a particular organ. However, reconstructing vasculature and re-endothelialization in the DOB is a highly challenging task and has not been achieved for constructing a clinically transplantable vascularized organ with an efficient perfusable capability. Here, we critically and articulately emphasized factors that have been studied for the vascular reconstruction in the DOB. Furthermore, we highlighted the factors used for vasculature development studies in general and their application in whole-organ vascular reconstruction. We also analyzed in detail the strategies explored so far for vascular reconstruction and angiogenesis in the DOB for functional and perfusable vasculature development. Finally, we discussed some of the crucial factors that have been largely ignored in the vascular reconstruction of the DOB and the future directions that should be addressed systematically.
BackgroundDuring the last decades, migratory behavior has had a key role in population growth and redistribution in Pakistan. Migration has far-reaching socioeconomic implications for individuals and society at large that could influence the health integrity of Pakistani women. This study aimed to describe the migration patterns and drivers as well as their association with adequate access to reproductive and maternal care among married Pakistani women aged 15–49.MethodsThe data from the 2017–18 Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) was used to extract the information on the explanatory (sociodemographic and migration backgrounds) and outcome variables (unmet needs for family planning, adequate antenatal care, and delivery at health facilities). Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between these explanatory and outcome variables before and after adjustment for sociodemographic inequalities.ResultsIn unadjusted models, the odds of having adequate ANC and delivery at health facilities were approximately 2 to 4 times higher in those living (urban non-migrant), moving to (urban to urban, rural to urban), or leaving the urban areas (rural to urban) as compared to rural non-migrants; likewise, the odds of the unmet needs for family planning was about 20–50% lower in the same migration streams compared to rural non-migrant. However, after adjustment for sociodemographic inequalities, most of these associations attenuated and only the association of urban to urban migration with unmet needs for family planning and the association of urban non-migrant with delivery at health facilities remained significant.ConclusionAlthough the findings suggest that Internal migration flows, particularly those to urban areas (urban to urban and rural to urban), could be associated with better access to reproductive and maternity care among married Pakistani women aged 15–49 years; adjustment for sociodemographic inequalities, particularly education and wealth, nullified this association to a great extent. This has important implications for current policies and interventions in Pakistan and calls for policy reform and women’s rights advocacy to enhance the literacy level of young Pakistani girls through well-tailored interventions, maintaining them at school.
Dimitrios Andreou, Kjetil Nordbø Jørgensen, Stener Nerland
et al.
AbstractObjectivesCytomegalovirus (CMV) congenital infection and in immunodeficiency can have deleterious effects on human cortex. In immunocompetent adults, the putative association between CMV infection and cortical measures has not been explored. We hypothesized that CMV exposure is associated with smaller cortical surface area or cortical thinning mainly in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Study DesignWe included 67 adult patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 262 adult healthy controls. We measured circulating CMV IgG antibody concentrations with solid-phase immunoassay techniques. We measured the total cortical surface area, regional cortical surface areas and the overall mean cortical thickness based on T1-weighted MRI scans processed in FreeSurfer v6.0.Study ResultsIn the whole sample analysis, we found a significant diagnostic group-by-CMV status interaction on the total surface area (P = .020). Among patients, CMV antibody positivity was significantly associated with smaller total surface area (P = .002, partial eta2 = 0.138) whereas no such association was found in healthy controls (P = .059). Post hoc analysis among patients showed that higher CMV antibody concentrations were also significantly associated with smaller total surface area (P = .038), and that CMV antibody positivity was significantly inversely associated with 14 left and 16 right regional surface areas mainly in the frontal and temporal lobes. CMV infection was not associated with the overall mean cortical thickness.ConclusionsThe results are indicative of a cortical surface area vulnerability to CMV infection in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders but not in healthy controls. CMV infection may contribute to the established cortical surface area aberrations in schizophrenia.
Tove Stjern Frønes, Jenny W. Folkeryd, Kjetil Børhaug
et al.
Kritisk literacy har de siste årene blitt mer sentralt både i forskningen og i skolens praksis, i likhet med nært beslektede begreper som kritisk tenking, kritisk lesing og kritisk skriving. Hvordan vi snakker om kritisk literacy er noe forskjellig i de ulike fagene. Både verdenssituasjonen og den gjennomgripende digitaliseringen av de nordiske samfunnene har aktualisert behovet for en kritisk tilnærming, og det har vært ulike drivkrefter for at kritisk literacy har blitt satt på dagsorden i de nordiske skolesystemene i de senere år. Den fornyede forskningsinteressen for kritisk tilnærming gjenspeiles i praksisfeltet og i lærerutdanningene, ikke minst gjennom de rammene for undervisning som læreplaner og forskrifter gir.
Denne introduksjonsartikkelen til temanummeret om kritisk literacy i skolens fag klargjør hva en kritisk tilnærming kan innebære innenfor ulike fagtradisjoner. I temanummerets 12 artikler ses kritisk literacy i sammenheng både med fagenes egne uttrykk og det samfunnet og med de kulturene som fagene kan gi en kritisk tilnærming til, mens her ser vi nærmere på literacy-begrepets utvikling og på hvordan kritisk literacy har vært forstått, først i språkfagene og så i naturfagene og samfunnsfagene.
Vi velger kritisk tilnærming som det overordnede begrepet, og som i ulike fag og situasjoner kan innebære både lesing og skriving, kritisk tenking eller andre praksiser. Dette temanummeret belyser fagspesifikk literacy, og i denne introduksjonsartikkelen ser vi på fagbegrepenes røtter og på hva som forener og hva som skiller de ulike fagenes perspektiver fra hverandre.
Mohammad Tafiqur Rahman, Tim A. Majchrzak, Maung K. Sein
Abstract Responding to a disaster encompasses a myriad of humanitarian actions; the ultimate and crucial is immediate relief distribution. Making effective decisions in chaotic disaster environment is always complex and challenging. Decisions made here are heavily influenced by the decisions made in several related problem areas such as facility locations, relief supply chain, transportation, scheduling, and inventory management. While each of these problem areas has its own set of decision factors, several of these factors are also common in multiple problem areas. These common decision factors offer both an opportunity and a challenge. The challenge is to balance the relative importance of a factor that is common between one or more problem areas—one factor that is considered vital in one area may have a lower priority in another area. The opportunity here is to develop a common framework that can help all problem areas to work together to achieve the main objective of effectively distributing essential relief goods among affected people. While the literature has studied individual problem areas and their decision factors, an integrated view showing the linkages between multiple problem areas is missing. In this paper, we propose such an integrative framework. Based on a systematic review of the literature, we first identified problem areas that are linked to relief distribution and then identified the linkages between these areas. We synthesized the findings into a conceptual framework and validated it through a panel of experienced field experts who work in relief distribution. We framed our refined framework as an information ecosystem of humanitarian actions where relief distribution resides at the core. Such a conceptualization will not only enrich the in-depth understanding of humanitarian domain, but also offer insights for developing computer-based decision support systems for relief distribution.
Solving the properties of dense QCD matter is an extremely challenging problem because standard theoretical tools do not work at intermediate densities. The gauge/gravity duality may help to provide answers in this region. I give a brief review of recent progress in this field, focusing on the V-QCD model, which is one of the most sophisticated holographic models of QCD. I discuss predictions for the phase diagram, the equation of state, and properties of baryons. I apply these results to analyze the properties of neutron stars and to quark matter production in neutron star mergers.
In course of this work, we examine the process of plastic profile extrusion, where a polymer melt is shaped inside the so-called extrusion die and fixed in its shape by solidification in the downstream calibration unit. More precise, we focus on the development of a data-driven reduced order model (ROM) for the purpose of predicting temperature distributions within the extruded profiles inside the calibration unit. Therein, the ROM functions as a first step to our overall goal of prediction based process control in order to avoid undesired warpage and damages of the final product.
Orlando Oliveira, Lee C. Loveridge, Paulo J. Silva
The lattice Landau gauge photon propagator for the pure gauge theory is revisited using large lattices. For the confined case we show that it has an associated linearly growing potential, it has a mass gap, that is related to the presence of monopoles, and its spectral function violates positivity. In the deconfined phase, our simulations suggest that a free field theory is recovered in the thermodynamic limit.
Diogo Boito, Maarten Golterman, Kim Maltman
et al.
After discussing difficulties in determining $α_s$ from tau decay due to the existence of Duality Violations and the associated asymptotic nature of the OPE, we describe a new determination based on an improved vector isovector spectral function, now based solely on experimental input, obtained by (i) combining ALEPH and OPAL results for $2π+4π$ and (ii) replacing $K^-K^0$ and higher-multiplicity exclusive-mode contributions, both previously estimated using Monte Carlo, with new experimental BaBar results for $K^-K^0$ and results implied by $e^+ e^-$ cross sections and CVC for the higher-multiplicity modes. We find $α_s(m_τ)=0.3077\pm 0.0075$, which corresponds to $α_s(m_Z)=0.1171\pm 0.0010$. Finally, we comment on some of the shortcomings in the criticism of our approach by Pich and Rodriguez-Sanchez.
Mari Nordbø Gynnild,1,2 Steven HJ Hageman,3 Jannick AN Dorresteijn,3 Olav Spigset,4,5 Stian Lydersen,6 Torgeir Wethal,1,2 Ingvild Saltvedt,1,7 Frank LJ Visseren,3 Hanne Ellekjær1,2 1Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 2Department of Stroke, Clinic of Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; 3Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; 5Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 6Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 7Department of Geriatrics, Clinic of Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, NorwayCorrespondence: Mari Nordbø GynnildDepartment of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwayEmail mari.nordbo.gynnild@ntnu.noPurpose: Suboptimal secondary prevention in patients with stroke causes a remaining cardiovascular risk desirable to reduce. We have validated a prognostic model for secondary preventive settings and estimated future cardiovascular risk and theoretical benefit of reaching guideline recommended risk factor targets.Patients and Methods: The SMART-REACH (Secondary Manifestations of Arterial Disease-Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health) model for 10-year and lifetime risk of cardiovascular events was applied to 465 patients in the Norwegian Cognitive Impairment After Stroke (Nor-COAST) study, a multicenter observational study with two-year follow-up by linkage to national registries for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The residual risk when reaching recommended targets for blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking cessation and antithrombotics was estimated.Results: In total, 11.2% had a new event. Calibration plots showed adequate agreement between estimated and observed 2-year prognosis (C-statistics 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.55– 0.71). Median estimated 10-year risk of recurrent cardiovascular events was 42% (Interquartile range (IQR) 32– 54%) and could be reduced to 32% by optimal guideline-based therapy. The corresponding numbers for lifetime risk were 70% (IQR 63– 76%) and 61%. We estimated an overall median gain of 1.4 (IQR 0.2– 3.4) event-free life years if guideline targets were met.Conclusion: Secondary prevention was suboptimal and residual risk remains elevated even after optimization according to current guidelines. Considerable interindividual variation in risk exists, with a corresponding variation in benefit from intensification of treatment. The SMART-REACH model can be used to identify patients with the largest benefit from more intensive treatment and follow-up.Keywords: secondary prevention, ischemic stroke, risk factors, risk assessment, risks and benefits, cardiovascular diseases