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Item Open Access Optimizing Chance-Constrained Submodular Problems with Variable Uncertainties(IOS Press, 2023) Yan, X.; Do, A.V.; Shi, F.; Qin, X.; Neumann, F.; 26th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI) (30 Sep 2023 - 4 Oct 2023 : Kraków, Poland); Fujita, H.; Perez-Meana, H.; Hernandez-Matamoros, A.Chance constraints are frequently used to limit the probability of constraint violations in real-world optimization problems where the constraints involve stochastic components. We study chance-constrained submodular optimization problems, which capture a wide range of optimization problems with stochastic constraints. Previous studies considered submodular problems with stochastic knapsack constraints in the case where uncertainties are the same for each item that can be selected. However, uncertainty levels are usually variable with respect to the different stochastic components in real-world scenarios, and rigorous analysis for this setting is missing in the context of submodular optimization. This paper provides the first such analysis for this case, where the weights of items have the same expectation but different dispersion. We present greedy algorithms that can obtain a high-quality solution, i.e., a constant approximation ratio to the given optimal solution from the deterministic setting. In the experiments, we demonstrate that the algorithms perform effectively on several chance-constrained instances of the maximum coverage problem and the influence maximization problem.Item Open Access Complete genome sequence of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain 63-2498, isolated from a diabetic foot infection(American Society for Microbiology, 2025) Adams, F.G.; Sapula, S.A.; Hart, B.J.; Warner, M.S.; Speck, P.G.; Putonti, C.Here, we report the complete genome sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 63-2498, isolated from an outpatient with a diabetic foot infection. The 2.82 Mbp genome with 2,663 predicted coding sequences was assembled using a hybrid approach combining PacBio HiFi long-read and Illumina short-read sequencing, resulting in one chromosome and three plasmids.Item Open Access Mechanical design of the optical modules intended for IceCube-Gen2(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Audehm, J.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)IceCube-Gen2 is an expansion of the IceCube neutrino observatory at the South Pole that aims to increase the sensitivity to high-energy neutrinos by an order of magnitude. To this end, about 10,000 new optical modules will be installed, instrumenting a fiducial volume of about 8 km3. Two newly developed optical module types increase IceCube’s current sensitivity per module by a factor of three by integrating 16 and 18 newly developed four-inch PMTs in specially designed 12.5-inch diameter pressure vessels. Both designs use conical silicone gel pads to optically couple the PMTs to the pressure vessel to increase photon collection efficiency. The outside portion of gel pads are pre-cast onto each PMT prior to integration, while the interiors are filled and cast after the PMT assemblies are installed in the pressure vessel via a pushing mechanism. This paper presents both the mechanical design, as well as the performance of prototype modules at high pressure (70 MPa) and low temperature (-40 ◦C), characteristic of the environment inside the South Pole ice.Item Metadata only EBSD mapping of Cu-Fe-sulfides reveal microstructures enriched in critical/precious metals and resolve deformation histories(Mineralogical Society of America, 2025) King, S.A.; Cook, N.J.; Ciobanu, C.L.; Ehrig, K.; Rodriguez, Y.T.C.; Gilbert, S.; Basak, A.; Kiseeva, K.Chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) and bornite (Cu₅FeS₄) from the Olympic Dam Cu-U-Au-Ag deposit (South Australia) are characterized using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to identify microstructures and their correlations with trace element concentrations measured by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Natural chalcopyrite is shown to be a rich source of micro-structural and -textural information, preserving <110> and <001> crystallographic preferred orientations (CPO), {110} and {112} twin systems, grain boundary migration, foam textures, and subgrain boundaries. Selected examples of chalcopyrite illustrate different aspects of its behavior and relationship with bornite across the mineralogically zoned deposit. The oriented stress imposed by brecciation and/or fluid fluxes at Olympic Dam, alongside temperature, pressure, and strain rate, is shown to induce various microstructures preserved in chalcopyrite. Microstructures can, therefore, be used to elucidate sequential stages of low- to medium-temperature (<300 °C) ore evolution. Pyrite microstructures are already routinely used to understand higher temperature ore evolution, and the complementary microstructural study of chalcopyrite coexisting with pyrite has the potential to reveal deformational events across a more complete range of temperatures. Chalcopyrite is particularly well suited to unravel episodes of low- to medium-temperature overprinting in ore systems that lack obvious evidence for post-mineralization deformation. EBSD mapping reveals what appears as single grains of chalcopyrite in reflected light are, in fact, aggregates composed of ∼100 individual grains. In contrast, analyzed bornite displays overwhelming crystallographic homogeneity. Rare instances of misorientation in bornite are all associated with replacement and, if correlated with EBSD analysis of coexisting chalcopyrite and its inclusions (e.g., cobaltite), can be used to discern the origin and evolution of different bornite associations. LA-ICP-MS trace element mapping of chalcopyrite aggregates indicates that grain boundaries host Pb, Bi, Ag, and Sb concentrations, with twin boundaries displaying a weaker concentration of the same elements. Bornite grain boundaries are also enriched in Pb. These observations confirm the critical role played by microstructures in Cu-(Fe)-sulfides as traps for Pb, a non-target contaminant in copper concentrates, as well as new evidence for the physical state of Ag and potential value-added critical metals like Bi and Sb. The preferential occurrence of Pb, Bi, Ag, and Sb along permeable grain boundaries may incentivize efforts to remove contaminants and/or recover by-products via leaching.Item Open Access Recent neutrino oscillation result with the IceCube experiment(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Micallef, J.; Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)The IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory is a Cherenkov detector instrumented in a cubic kilometer of ice at the South Pole. IceCube’s primary scientific goal is the detection of TeV neutrino emissions from astrophysical sources. At the lower center of the IceCube array, there is a subdetector called DeepCore, which has a denser configuration that makes it possible to lower the energy threshold of IceCube and observe GeV-scale neutrinos, opening the window to atmospheric neutrino oscillations studies. Advances in physics sensitivity have recently been achieved by employing Convolutional Neural Networks to reconstruct neutrino interactions in the DeepCore detector. In this contribution, the recent IceCube result from the atmospheric muon neutrino disappearance analysis using the CNN-reconstructed neutrino sample are presented and compared to the existing worldwide measurements.Item Open Access Refining the IceCube detector geometry using muon and LED calibration data(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; Bay, R.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)The IceCube Neutrino Observatory deployed 5160 digital optical modules (DOMs) on 86 cables, called strings, in a cubic kilometer of deep glacial ice below the geographic South Pole. These record the Cherenkov light of passing charged particles. Knowledge of the DOM positions is vital for event reconstruction. While vertical positions have been calibrated, previous in-situ geometry calibration methods have been unable to measure horizontal deviations from the surface positions, largely due to degeneracies with ice model uncertainties. Thus the lateral position of the surface position of each hole is to date in almost all cases used as the lateral position of all DOMs on a given string. With the recent advances in ice modeling, two new in-situ measurements have now been undertaken. Using a large sample of muon tracks, the individual positions of all DOMs on a small number of strings around the center of the detector have been fitted. Verifying the results against LEDcalibration data shows that the string-average corrections improve detector modeling. Directly fitting string-average geometry corrections for the full array using LED data agrees with the average corrections as derived from muons where available. Analyses are now ongoing to obtain per-DOM positions using both methods and in addition, methods are being developed to correct the recorded arrival times for the expected scattering delay, allowing for multilateration of the positions using nanosecond-precision propagation delays.Item Open Access Meditators Probably Show Increased Behaviour-Monitoring Related Neural Activity(Springer Nature, 2023) Bailey, N.W.; Geddes, H.; Zannettino, I.; Humble, G.; Payne, J.; Baell, O.; Emonson, M.; Chung, S.W.; Hill, A.T.; Rogasch, N.C.; Hohwy, J.; Fitzgerald, P.B.Objectives: Mindfulness meditation is associated with better attention function. Performance monitoring and error-processing are important aspects of attention. We investigated whether experienced meditators showed different neural activity related to performance monitoring and error-processing. Previous research has produced inconsistent results. This study used more rigorous analyses and a larger sample to resolve the inconsistencies. Method: We used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure the error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) following correct and incorrect responses to a Go/Nogo task from 27 experienced meditators and 27 non-meditators. Results" No differences were found in the ERN (all p > 0.05). Meditators showed larger global field potentials (GFP) in the Pe after correct responses and errors, indicating stronger neural responses (p = 0.019, FDR-p = 0.152, np2 = 0.095, BFincl = 2.691). This effect did not pass multiple comparison controls. However, single-electrode analysis of the Pe did pass multiple comparison controls (p = 0.002, FDR-p = 0.016, np2 = 0.133, BFincl = 220.659). Meditators also showed a significantly larger Pe GFP for errors, which would have passed multiple comparison controls, but was not a primary analysis (p = 0.003, np2 = 0.149, BF10 = 9.999). Conclusions: Meditation may strengthen neural responses related to performance monitoring. However, these strengthened neural responses were not specific to error monitoring (although the error-related Pe may be more sensitive to group differences than the correct response Pe). These conclusions remain tentative, because the single-electrode analysis passed multiple comparison controls, but the analysis including all electrodes did not. Preregistration This study was not preregistered.Item Open Access Modelling localised failure in porous reservoir rocks using a continuum model with an embedded localisation band(Elsevier BV, 2023) Nguyen, N.T.; Phan, D.G.; Bennett, T.; Bui, H.H.; Nguyen, G.D.; Karakus, M.; 17th Asia-Pacific Conference on Fracture and Strength and the 13th Conference on Structural Integrity and Failure (APCFS & SIF) (6 Dec 2022 - 9 Dec 2022 : Adelaide, SA, Australia)The localised failure of highly porous rocks usually involves the size-dependent responses governed by the presence of planar bands in the form of compaction bands under high confinements. Deformations inside these bands induced by grain crushing are much higher than the surrounding host rock, making the rock structure inhomogeneous. This post-localisation mechanism is not able to be correctly captured by classical constitutive models for rocks due to the assumption of homogeneous deformation. The inhomogeneous behaviour can be addressed by our mechanism-based constitutive model in this paper, accounting for properties of the mesoscale localisation bands. In this model, the inclination and thickness of compaction bands are taken into account in kinematic enrichments to connect elastic responses outside and inelastic responses based on breakage mechanics theory inside them. The potential of the proposed approach is presented through several numerical examples, using triaxial tests on rocks.Item Open Access Epigenomics and transcriptomics profiles of developing zebrafish heart cells(Nature Portfolio, 2025) Chahal, G.; Eichenlaub, M.P.; Tondl, M.; Pawlak, M.; Mohenska, M.; Grimm, L.; Bottrell, L.; Drvodelic, M.; Alaei, S.; Hallab, J.; Waylen, L.N.; Polo, J.M.; Blanpain, C.; Palpant, N.; Rossello, F.J.; Änkö, M.L.; Currie, P.D.; Hogan, B.M.; Winata, C.; Salimova, E.; et al.cis-Regulatory elements (cREs) are essential for the spatio-temporal control of gene expression during development and disease. However, cRE activity is highly dependent on cell and tissue type. The developing heart is composed of several cell-types, predominantly cardiomyocytes. Therefore, cardiomyocyte-specific modelling is required to understand the cis-regulation of the developing heart. Zebrafish are an ideal model to study heart development, as they share several physiological features with the human heart during cardiogenesis. Here, we present a comprehensive cardiomyocyte-specific repertoire of cREs isolated from zebrafish larvae. This data combines in vivo transcriptomics and epigenetic profiling, providing insights into cREs and their associated genes involved in heart development. We further perform transgenic reporter assays for the identified cREs associated with popdc2 and bmp10 genes, validating these genomic regions as cardiac regulatory elements. We share this comprehensive, reproducible cardiomyocyte-specific cREs resource as an interrogable web tool for understanding the epigenetic and transcriptomic mechanisms underlying heart development and emergence of congenital heart defects.Item Open Access Multi-flavour neutrino searches from the Milky Way Galaxy(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; Bay, R.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)High-energy neutrinos are expected to be produced in the Milky Way by cosmic ray interactions at sites of acceleration or during their propagation. Neutrinos provide distinctive information on hadronic interactions and can be pointed back to production origins, unraveling unique properties of the Galaxy. We present an analysis on the search for the diffuse neutrino flux along the Galactic Plane by using data collected at the largest operating neutrino telescope in the world - the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. More than 10 years of data since the completion of the detector are used in this analysis. We utilize three event selections including through-going tracks, showers and starting-tracks to reach full-sky coverage and to be sensitive to all three neutrino flavours.Item Open Access Multiplicity of TeV muons in extensive air showers detected with IceTop and IceCube(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; Bay, R.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)We report on an analysis of the high-energy muon component in near-vertical extensive air showers detected by the surface array IceTop in coincidence with the in-ice array of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. In the coincidence measurement, the predominantly electromagnetic signal measured by IceTop is used to estimate the cosmic-ray primary energy, and the energy loss of the muon bundle in the deep in-ice array is used to estimate the number of muons in the shower with energies above 500 GeV (“TeV muons”). The average multiplicity of these TeV muons is determined for cosmic-ray energies between 2.5 PeV and 100 PeV assuming three different hadronic interaction models: Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC. For all models considered, the results are found to be in good agreement with the expectations from simulations. A tension exists, however, between the high-energy muon multiplicity and other observables; most importantly the density of GeV muons measured by IceTop using QGSJet-II.04 and EPOS-LHC.Item Metadata only Evaluating the impact of simulated microgravity of a random positioning machine on the stability of emulsions applying scaling analysis via dimensionless numbers(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2025) Schmidt, S.; Adebowale, M.N.; Rebrov, E.; Fisk, I.; Yang, N.; Saarela, M.; Hessel, V.Random positioning machines (RPM) are commonly used to simulate microgravity for plant growth and cell culturing experiments, but not properly in multi-phase flow studies, e.g., emulsions. The implications of fluid motion induced by RPM movement patterns have only been studied for one-phase system using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This study investigates the impact of fluid motion of 5 different RPM motion modes (0 g, 0.4 g, clinostat of different frame rates) on dispersed droplets (d₃₂ = 0.1–70 μm) applying scaling analysis. These computations are based on well-established fluid-dynamic laws and correlations, thereby giving microgravity researchers easier tool to evaluate potential deficiencies in their study design compared to CFD. We found that the clinostat modes (80 deg s¯¹; 100 deg s¯¹; 120 deg s¯¹) induce a transitional flow regime in the continuous phase, and considerate shear rates acting on the dispersed droplets. Under certain conditions, the shear rates might even impact the average particle size, representing a major corruption in study design, which must not be mistaken as an effect of simulated microgravity. On the other hand, the 0 g and 0.4 g motion modes lead to a laminar flow in the continuous phase, low shear forces, Stokes flow surrounding the dispersed droplets, little relative droplet movement, as well as neglectable forced convection and gravitational force, thus resembling a state similar to true microgravity (0 g motion mode) and partial gravity (0.4 g motion mode).Item Open Access Neurological scoring and gait kinematics to assess functional outcome in an ovine model of ischaemic stroke(Frontiers Media S.A., 2023) Sorby-Adams, A.J.; Marian, O.C.; Bilecki, I.M.; Elms, L.E.; Camargo, J.; Hall, K.; Crowther, R.G.; Leonard, A.V.; Wadsworth, G.I.; Spear, J.H.; Turner, R.J.; Jones, C.F.Background: Assessment of functional impairment following ischaemic stroke is essential to determine outcome and efficacy of intervention in both clinical patients and pre-clinical models. Although paradigms are well described for rodents, comparable methods for large animals, such as sheep, remain limited. This study aimed to develop methods to assess function in an ovine model of ischaemic stroke using composite neurological scoring and gait kinematics from motion capture. Methods: Merino sheep (n = 26) were anaesthetised and subjected to 2 hours middle cerebral artery occlusion. Animals underwent functional assessment at baseline (8-, 5-, and 1-day pre-stroke), and 3 days post-stroke. Neurological scoring was carried out to determine changes in neurological status. Ten infrared cameras measured the trajectories of 42 retro-reflective markers for calculation of gait kinematics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at 3 days post-stroke to determine infarct volume. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC's) were used to assess the repeatability of neurological scoring and gait kinematics across baseline trials. The average of all baselines was used to compare changes in neurological scoring and kinematics at 3 days post-stroke. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to determine the relationship between neurological score, gait kinematics, and infarct volume post-stroke. Results: Neurological scoring was moderately repeatable across baseline trials (ICC > 0.50) and detected marked impairment post-stroke (p < 0.05). Baseline gait measures showed moderate to good repeatability for the majority of assessed variables (ICC > 0.50). Following stroke, kinematic measures indicative of stroke deficit were detected including an increase in stance and stride duration (p < 0.05). MRI demonstrated infarction involving the cortex and/or thalamus (median 2.7 cm3, IQR 1.4 to 11.9). PCA produced two components, although association between variables was inconclusive. Conclusion: This study developed repeatable methods to assess function in sheep using composite scoring and gait kinematics, allowing for the evaluation of deficit 3 days post-stroke. Despite utility of each method independently, there was poor association observed between gait kinematics, composite scoring, and infarct volume on PCA. This suggests that each of these measures has discreet utility for the assessment of stroke deficit, and that multimodal approaches are necessary to comprehensively characterise functional impairment.Item Open Access Nonlinear edge wave generation in aluminum plates with microstructural damage(Elsevier BV, 2023) Hu, X.; Liang, P.; Ng, C.T.; Kotousov, A.; 17th Asia-Pacific Conference on Fracture and Strength and the 13th Conference on Structural Integrity and Failure (APCFS & SIF) (6 Dec 2022 - 9 Dec 2022 : Adelaide, Australia)Free edges are omnipresent in engineering components, such as I-beam flanges and aircraft wings. These components are subject to different types of damage with various scales, which can reduce their designed service life span. Nonlinear ultrasonic guided waves have attracted substantial research attention in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM), for identifying and tracking micro-defects in the early stage. Guided waves propagating along free edges are called edge waves. A number of studies have demonstrated that edge waves have the potential to characterise the defects near the structural edges. However, these studies have extensively studied the linear features of edge waves, typified as group and phase velocity, attenuation, and mode conversion. The nonlinear interactions of the edge waves and structural defects have not been fully understood. This study presents numerical and experimental analyses of nonlinear edge waves on the edge of an aluminum plate with microstructural damage. The focus has been directed to the higher harmonic generation. A three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) was developed and the material nonlinearity was simulated by Murnaghan's strain energy equation. Subsequently, the accuracy of the numerical model was validated by comparing numerical results with the experimental data. After that, the experimentally validated FEM was employed to carry out a parametric study to investigate the propagation characteristics of the nonlinear edge waves on aluminum plates with different fatigue levels. The results demonstrate that it is promising to use edge waves for detecting micro-defects in the free edges of metallic structures.Item Open Access On the Use of Matching Algorithms to Transfer Solutions for the Travelling Salesperson Problem(Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2025) Wigney, L.; Neumann, A.; Ong, Y.-S.; Neumann, F.; Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO) (14 Jul 2025 - 18 Jul 2025 : Malaga, Spain); Ochoa, G.Multitasking evolutionary algorithms can be effectively used to solve a number of problems with a single population. A key issue in deciding their effectiveness, is how to transfer good solutions from one problem instance to another problem instance which shares some characteristics. We investigate in this paper how to transfer solutions between different problem instances of the Travelling Salesperson Problem (TSP) based matching algorithms and introduce different transfer mechanisms based on matching the nodes between problem instances. In our experimental study, we examine how the different transfer approaches perform for different classes of TSP instances dependent on the characteristics of the considered problem instances.Item Open Access Exposure of mice to environmentally relevant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alters the sperm epigenome(Nature Portfolio, 2025) Gillespie, L.; Martin, J.H.; Anderson, A.L.; Bernstein, I.R.; Stanger, S.J.; Trigg, N.A.; Schjenken, J.E.; Gannon, A.-L.; Parameswaran, S.; Smyth, S.P.; Conine, C.C.; Desai, R.; Handelsman, D.J.; De Iuliis, G.N.; Eamens, A.L.; Dun, M.D.; Turner, B.D.; Roman, S.D.; Green, M.P.; Nixon, B.Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of persistent synthetic chemicals and ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Mounting evidence demonstrates that PFAS can bioaccumulate and induce adverse health outcomes, including compromising male reproduction. Despite this, the mechanisms by which PFAS elicits these effects remain unclear. Here, we investigate how an environmentally relevant PFAS cocktail impacts the reproductive function of male Swiss CD1 mice. Following twelve weeks of continuous exposure, we collected blood samples for hormone and PFAS quantification and processed reproductive tissues and spermatozoa for histological and functional assessment. PFAS exposure significantly reduced the rate of daily sperm production, likely due to decreased circulating testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Further, PFAS-exposed spermatozoa displayed marked alterations to their small non-coding RNA profile, which were linked to dysregulation of early-embryonic gene expression. Notably, these changes occured without significant alteration in sperm viability, motility, or the ability to undergo capacitation or support embryonic development. These findings provide new mechanistic insight into how PFAS exposure impacts male reproductive health.Item Open Access Optimizing Electrophysiology Studies to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death After Myocardial Infarction(Oxford University Press, 2023) Kovoor, J.G.; Deshmukh, T.; von Huben, A.; Marschner, S.L.; Byth, K.; Chow, C.K.; Zaman, S.; Chong, J.J.; Thiagalingam, A.; Kovoor, P.Aims: This study assessed associations of minimum final extrastimulus coupling interval utilized within electrophysiology study (EPS) after myocardial infarction (MI) and possible site of origin of induced ventricular tachycardia (VT) with long-term occurrence of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia and long-term survival. Methods and results: This prospective study recruited consecutive patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40% who underwent EPS days 3–5 after MI between 2004 and 2017. Positive EPS was defined as sustained monomorphic VT cycle length ≥200 ms for ≥10 s or shorter duration if haemodynamic compromise occurred. Each of the four extrastimuli was shortened by 10 ms at a time, until it failed to capture the ventricle (ventricular refractoriness) or induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Outcomes included spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia occurrence and all-cause mortality. Shorter coupling interval length of final extrastimulus that induced VT was associated with higher risk of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia (P < 0.001). Significantly higher rates of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia (65.2% vs. 23.2%; P < 0.001) were observed for final coupling interval at EPS <200 ms vs. >200 ms. Right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology of induced VT, with possible site of origin from the left ventricle, was associated with all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 3.2, P = 0.044] and a composite of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia recurrence or mortality (HR 1.8, P = 0.043). Conclusion: Ventricular tachycardia induced with shorter coupling intervals was associated with higher risk of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythymia on follow-up, indicating that the final extrastimulus coupling interval at EPS early after MI should be determined by ventricular refractoriness. Induced VT with possible origin from left ventricle was associated with increased risk of spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia recurrence or death.Item Open Access Performance Studies of the Acoustic Module for the IceCube Upgrade(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Audehm, J.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)The IceCube Upgrade will augment the existing IceCube Neutrino Observatory by deploying 700 additional optical sensor modules and calibration devices within its center at a depth of 1.5 to 2.5 km in the Antarctic ice. One goal of the Upgrade is to improve the positioning calibration of the optical sensors to increase the angular resolution for neutrino directional reconstruction. An acoustic calibration system will be deployed to explore the capability of achieving this using trilateration of propagation times of acoustic signals. Ten Acoustic Modules (AM) capable of sending and receiving acoustic signals with frequencies from 5 to 30 kHz will be installed within the detector volume. Additionally, compact acoustic sensors inside 15 optical sensor modules will complement the acoustic calibration system. With this system, we aim for an accuracy of a few tens of cm to localize the Acoustic Modules and sensors. Due to the longer attenuation length of sound compared to light within the ice, acoustic position calibration is especially interesting for the upcoming IceCube-Gen2 detector, which will have a string spacing of around 240 m. In this contribution we present an overview of the technical design of the Acoustic Module as well as results of performance tests with a first complete prototype.Item Open Access Performance studies on new 4" photomultiplier types intended for IceCube-Gen2 optical modules(Sissa Medialab Srl, 2024) Abbasi, R.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Agarwalla, S.K.; Aguilar, J.A.; Ahlers, M.; Alameddine, J.M.; Amin, N.M.; Andeen, K.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Ashida, Y.; Athanasiadou, S.; Audehm, J.; Axani, S.N.; Bai, X.; Balagopal, A.V.; Baricevic, M.; Barwick, S.W.; Basu, V.; et al.; 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC) (26 Jul 2023 - 3 Aug 2023 : Nagoya, Japan)In the upcoming IceCube-Gen2 extension, the newly developed optical modules will include 4–inchPMTs. For this purpose, the manufacturers Hamamatsu andNorth NightVision Technology have developed new PMT models to meet the requirements of the IceCube-Gen2 science case. The specifications include strict requirements on temporal resolution, detection efficiency, and dark noise. We summarize the efforts to measure these performance characteristics and show that both PMT models meet the performance specifications set by IceCube-Gen2. Prototype optical modules based on both PMT models will be deployed with the IceCube Upgrade in order to test them in situ and help decide on a vendor for the Gen2 extension.Item Open Access Philanthropy, marketing disadvantage and the enterprising public school(Springer Nature, 2023) Hogan, A.; Gerrard, J.; Di Gregorio, E.Disadvantage in schooling is often constructed as a crisis in need of fixing. Global policy reforms tend to emphasise that solutions for disadvantage often lie beyond the capacity of the state, necessitating private/philanthropic intervention. This paper seeks to contribute to this line of analysis by investigating the rise of philanthropy in Australian public schooling. Our analysis focuses on the intermediary organisation, Schools Plus, which works to connect donors to disadvantaged public schools. Through qualitative content analysis and stakeholder interviews we demonstrate how philanthropy has come to be seen as a solution to the complex problem of disadvantage, or more specifically in this case, the perceived inadequacies of public education provision. The consequence of this, we suggest, is the changing of responsibility for addressing disadvantage from government to individual schools that have been able to establish an entrepreneurial culture to market their disadvantage.