bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Short List of Combinatorial Optimization Problems
Authors: Taillard Éric D.
Published: October 2022

This chapter reviews a number of typical combinatorial optimization problems. It illustrates the tenuous border that sometimes exists between an easy problem, for which effective algorithms are known, and an intractable one that differs merely by a small detail that may appear innocuous at first sight
Problem Modeling
Authors: Taillard Éric D.
Published: October 2022

This chapter shows how a problem can be modeled so that it can be handled efficiently by a heuristic algorithm. It gives some examples of transformations of data, constraints, and objectives. Finally, it introduces some notions of multi-objective optimization.
Constructive Methods
Authors: Taillard Éric D.
Published: October 2022

This chapter presents methods for constructing solutions. It starts with the branch and bound methods, widely used for the design of exact algorithms. Then two basic methods are presented, random and greedy constructions. The latter sequentially selects the elements to include to a partial solution, never changing the choices that have been made. This method can be improved by a deeper evaluation of the consequences of a choice. Beam search and the pilot method are part of it.
Local Search
Authors: Taillard Éric D.
Published: October 2022

Improvement methods constitute the backbone of most metaheuristics. These methods repeatedly perform slight, local modifications on a current solution to the problem. Hence, for any solution, a set of neighbor solutions must be defined. Clearly, the definition of this set depends on the problem modeling. However, a natural neighborhood may turn out to be either too small to lead to quality solutions or too large, inducing prohibitive calculation times. Various approaches have been proposed to enlarge the neighborhood, such as the filter and fan method or the ejection chains. For reducing the neighborhood size, typical strategies are the granular search and the candidate list.
Decomposition Methods
Authors: Taillard Éric D.
Published: October 2022

The chapter first recalls few properties of recursive algorithms. Next, it introduces a general recursive constructive method. Finally, it presents the large neighborhood search and the POPMUSIC metaheuristics.
Construction Learning
Authors: Taillard Éric D.
Published: October 2022

The first basic ingredient of heuristics is to build a solution. So, a first metaheuristic approach is to improve the process of building solutions. This chapter presents construction learning mechanisms. A typical example is artificial ants systems. Another technique is vocabulary building.
Das Königreich Bayern im 19. Jahrhundert am Übertritt zur Moderne
Authors: Kränzlein Dirk
Published: October 2022

Vielerlei Paradigmenwechsel waren im Verlauf des 19. Jahrhunderts in der politischen und militärischen Ausrichtung Bayerns festzustellen. Durch die Kooperation mit Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) erlangte das bayerische Haus Wittelsbach erstmals in seiner Geschichte die Königswürde (1806).
Vorsprung durch Waffentechnik?
Authors: Kränzlein Dirk
Published: October 2022

Durch das Aufkommen der Handfeuerwaffen veränderte sich die Kampfweise auf den europäischen Schlachtfeldern nachhaltig. Die Musketen ermöglichten den Soldaten, Feinde auf eine gewisse Distanz zu bekämpfen. Nicht mehr die physische Kraft und Ausdauer des einzelnen Kämpfers, sondern die Feuerwaffentechnik war die bestimmende Konstante.
Einleitung: Vertrauen in Daten
Authors: Rohde Marieke , Wittenbrink Nicole
Published: October 2022

Die Qualität von Daten sowie die darauf angewandten Transformationen und Berechnungen sind maßgebend für die Qualität der Entscheidungen, die auf ihrer Basis getroffen werden. Auf Seiten potenzieller Nutzender gibt es derzeit immer noch kein ausreichendes Vertrauen in datenbasierte Lösungen. Dies gilt besonders für sicherheitskritische Anwendungen oder Anwendungen im Gesundheitsbereich. In diesem Buchteil werden ausgewählte Lösungsansätze vorgestellt, um die Qualität datenbasierter Dienste und Produkte sicherzustellen beziehungsweise nachzuweisen und so das Vertrauen in diese Angebote zu stärken.
Grenzkostenfreie IoT-Services in den Datenmarktplätzen der Zukunft
Authors: Trauth Daniel , Mayer Johannes
Published: October 2022

Es kann künftig möglich sein, im Internet der Dinge (engl. Internet of Things, kurz IoT) Daten und Resilienz-Services ebenso souverän wie selbstsicher zu handhaben und auszutauschen. Ähnlich wie dies heutzutage mit physischen Ressourcen möglich ist. Um diese Vision zu realisieren, entwickeln Forschende im Projekt SPAICER einen GAIA-X konformen IoT-Datenraum, der Datenproduzierende, Datenkonsumierende und Datenverarbeitende an einem digitalen Ort vereint und eine medienbruchfreie Datenökonomie ermöglicht. Mit Hilfe dieser medienbruchfreien Datenökonomie lassen sich wichtige Antworten auf relevante Fragen, wie zum Beispiel nach industrieller Nachhaltigkeit und resilienter Produktion, auf Knopfdruck ermitteln. Dabei ist der Vorteil eines IoT-Datenraums, dass skalierbare und grenzkostenfreie digitale Vermögenswerte entwickelt werden können, die Datenproduzierende von produktbezogenen zu nutzungsbezogenen Technologieführern wandeln. Hierdurch werden IoT-Daten zu Wirtschaftsgütern und IoT-Services zu digitalen Geschäftsmodellen.
Einleitung: Datenrecht
Authors: Straub Sebastian
Published: October 2022

Daten sind Grundlage für neue Produkte und Dienstleistungen und zugleich Voraussetzung für die Entwicklung selbstlernender Systeme und künstlicher Intelligenz. Sie stehen im Mittelpunkt des digitalen Transformationsprozesses und der Datenwirtschaft. Die nutzerübergreifende Verwendung von Daten ist aber auch mit Risiken verbunden, insbesondere wenn sensible Informationen über Unternehmensgrenzen hinaus ausgetauscht werden. Neben vertrauenswürdigen Infrastrukturen bedarf es auch einer rechtlichen Absicherung von Datenaustausch und –handel, um rechtssicher zu agieren und die Werthaltigkeit von Daten zu bewahren. In diesem Buchteil werden Diskussionsergebnisse zu Konzepten und Ansätzen, wie ein rechtssicheres Umfeld in datenbasierten Wertschöpfungsnetzen geschaffen werden kann, dargestellt. Dabei werden regulatorische Herausforderungen identifiziert sowie Lösungsansätze erarbeitet und hier für die Lesenden praxisnah aufbereitet.
p-Basilica Groups
Authors: Di Domenico Elena , Fernández-Alcober Gustavo A. , Noce Marialaura , Thillaisundaram Anitha
Published: October 2022

We consider a generalisation of the Basilica group to all odd primes: the p-Basilica groups acting on the p-adic tree. We show that the p-Basilica groups have the p-congruence subgroup property but not the congruence subgroup property nor the weak congruence subgroup property. This provides the first examples of weakly branch groups with such properties. In addition, the p-Basilica groups give the first examples of weakly branch, but not branch, groups which are super strongly fractal. We compute the orders of the congruence quotients of these groups, which enable us to determine the Hausdorff dimensions of the p-Basilica groups. Lastly, we show that the p-Basilica groups do not possess maximal subgroups of infinite index and that they have infinitely many non-normal maximal subgroups.
Comprehensive analysis of the immunological implication and prognostic value of CXCR4 in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Guo Wei , Huai Qilin , Zhou Bolun , Guo Lei , Sun Li , Xue Xuemin , Tan Fengwei , Xue Qi , Gao Shugeng , He Jie
Published: October 2022

CXCR4 (C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4) is the most commonly expressed of all chemokine receptors in malignant tumors. However, studies on CXCR4 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor immune microenvironment, including those determining its immune efficacy and prognostic potential, are still scarce. Therefore, in this study, we determined the ability of CXCR4 to predict immunotherapy response and prognosis in NSCLC using immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR, respectively, in two independent cohorts from the National Cancer Center of China. We analyzed transcriptome sequencing data and clinical information from multiple public databases to assess immune cell infiltration in NSCLC and constructed immune risk prognostic signatures based on CXCR4-related immunomodulators. We found that immune cell infiltration is significant differences in NSCLC tissues and is moderately correlated with CXCR4 expression. High CXCR4 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC patients and a higher response rate to immunotherapy. The ROC curve showed that CXCR4 expression exhibited excellent performance in predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy in NSCLC. We identified 30 CXCR4-related immunomodulators in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and constructed immune prognostic signatures based on CXCR4-related immunomodulators and CXCR4-related mutant genes. The signature-based prognostic risk score showed good performance in predicting patient prognosis in both LUAD and LUSC; high risk scores were significantly associated with poor prognosis (P < 0.0001) and was established as an independent prognostic factor by multivariate Cox regression. We postulate that CXCR4 is a potential predictive marker of immunotherapy efficacy in NSCLC and should be used in clinical settings. Moreover, the constructed signatures may be valuable in predicting patient prognosis in NSCLC.
Laser printing: trends and perspectives
Authors: Chichkov Boris
Published: October 2022

In this paper, I present my personal view on the possible development and applications of laser printing technologies based on laser-induced forward transfer of inorganic and biological materials. Laser printing of micro- and nanoparticles, living cells, and microorganisms are discussed.
Distal locking technique affects the rate of iatrogenic radial nerve palsy in intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures
Authors: Greiner Fabian , Kaiser Georg , Kleiner Anne , Brugger Jonas , Aldrian Silke , Windhager Reinhard , Hajdu Stefan , Schreiner Markus
Published: October 2022

Background

Intramedullary humeral nailing is a common and reliable procedure for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Radial nerve palsy is a common complication encountered in the treatment of this pathology. The radial nerve runs from posterior to anterior at the lateral aspect of the distal humerus. Hence, there is reason to believe that due to the anatomic vicinity of the radial nerve in this area, lateral–medial distal locking in intramedullary nailing of the humerus may be associated with a greater risk for iatrogenic radial nerve injury compared to anterior–posterior locking.

Questions/purpose

To assess whether the choice of distal locking (lateral–medial versus anterior–posterior distal locking) in intramedullary humeral nailing of humeral shaft fractures affects the risk for iatrogenic radial nerve injury.

Patients and methods

Overall, 203 patients (116 females, mean age 64.3 ± 18.6 years), who underwent intramedullary nailing of the humerus between 2000 and 2020 at a single level-one trauma center, met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this retrospective case–control study. Patients were subdivided into two groups according to the distal locking technique.

Results

Anterior–posterior locking was performed in 176 patients versus lateral–medial locking in 27 patients. We observed four patients with iatrogenic radial nerve palsy in both groups. Risk for iatrogenic radial nerve palsy was almost 7.5 times higher for lateral–medial locking (OR 7.48, p = 0.006). There was no statistically significant difference regarding intraoperative complications, union rates or revision surgeries between both groups.

Conclusions

Lateral–medial distal locking in intramedullary nailing of the humerus may be associated with a greater risk for iatrogenic radial nerve palsy than anterior–posterior locking. Hence, we advocate for anterior–posterior locking.

Level of evidence

Level III retrospective comparative study.
Urea versus fractional Er:YAG laser pretreatment of methylene blue photodynamic therapy in the treatment of moderate toenail onychomycosis: short- and medium-term effects
Authors: Alberdi Enrique , Gómez Clara
Published: October 2022

Keratolytic properties of urea 40% have long time used for the treatment of onychomycosis. Fractional ablative lasers enhance the delivery of topically applied photosensitizers improving photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy. The aim of this study was to compare the short- and medium-term efficacy of a pretreatment with urea 40% and fractional Er:YAG (Fr Er:YAG) laser radiation before PDT mediated by methylene blue (MB) for moderate toenail onychomycosis. Twenty-first-toe toenails were randomized to receive either urea 40% (Group I) or Fr Er:YAG laser (Group II) pretreatment and 9 sessions of MB/PDT over the course of 16 weeks. At baseline, 28- and 40-week follow-ups, clinical efficacy was assessed by digital photographs [allowing determination of the onychomycosis severity index (OSI)], whereas mycological efficacy was assessed by histological examination and fungal culture. Details of the side effects and patients’ satisfaction were also recorded. In both groups, a significant decrease in OSI values was observed at the 28-week follow-up and a slight rebound at the 40-week follow-up. The percentage of nail involvement decreased significantly in both groups at the 28-week follow-up, to continue declining gently in Group I at 40 weeks, in contrast to the rebound observed during this period in Group II. The mycological cure rate was 20% and 30% at 28-week follow-up and 70% and 40% at 40-week follow-up, in Group I and II, respectively. Patients reported being fairly satisfied, and no side effects were detected in any groups. Although both pretreatments favor the action of PDT for the treatment of onychomycosis, the use of urea at 40% is more effective in the medium term.
Collaborative programming of robotic task decisions and recovery behaviors
Authors: Eiband Thomas , Willibald Christoph , Tannert Isabel , Weber Bernhard , Lee Dongheui
Published: October 2022

Programming by demonstration is reaching industrial applications, which allows non-experts to teach new tasks without manual code writing. However, a certain level of complexity, such as online decision making or the definition of recovery behaviors, still requires experts that use conventional programming methods. Even though, experts cannot foresee all possible faults in a robotic application. To encounter this, we present a framework where user and robot collaboratively program a task that involves online decision making and recovery behaviors. Hereby, a task-graph is created that represents a production task and possible alternative behaviors. Nodes represent start, end or decision states and links define actions for execution. This graph can be incrementally extended by autonomous anomaly detection, which requests the user to add knowledge for a specific recovery action. Besides our proposed approach, we introduce two alternative approaches that manage recovery behavior programming and compare all approaches extensively in a user study involving 21 subjects. This study revealed the strength of our framework and analyzed how users act to add knowledge to the robot. Our findings proclaim to use a framework with a task-graph based knowledge representation and autonomous anomaly detection not only for initiating recovery actions but particularly to transfer those to a robot.
Adolescent Inpatient Mental Health Admissions: An Exploration of Interpersonal Polyvictimization, Family Dysfunction, Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviours
Authors: Stewart Shannon L. , Semovski Valbona , Lapshina Natalia
Published: October 2022

The mental health system is impacted by extreme delays in the provision of care, even in the face of suicidal behaviour. The failure to address mental health issues in a timely fashion result in a dependence on acute mental health services. Improvement to the mental health care system is impacted by the paucity of information surrounding client profiles admitted to inpatient settings. Using archival data from 10,865 adolescents 12–18 years of age (Mage = 14.87, SDage = 1.77), this study aimed to examine the characteristics of adolescents admitted to psychiatric inpatient services in Ontario, Canada. Multivariate binary logistic regression revealed that adolescents reporting interpersonal polyvictimization, greater family dysfunction and higher risk of suicide and self-harm had a greater likelihood of an inpatient mental health admission. The interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health assessment can be used for care planning and early intervention to support adolescents and their families before suicide risk is imminent.
Covid-19 and the 2020 presidential election
Authors: M. Mitchell David
Published: October 2022

Whether deserved on not, US Presidents often receive the blame or the credit for the nature of the economy and direction of the country. Therefore, the status of the economy and the country in an election year can be a very important factor in election success for an incumbent President (or his party if an incumbent is not running). This is especially true in ‘battleground states’ due to the presence of the Electoral College system where Presidential candidates need only win different combinations of states in order to become President. However, the 2020 Presidential election was vastly different from past election cycles in that an additional variable, COVID-19, was added to the decision calculus of voters. Eventually, the 2020 election came down to the extremely slim margins in three states (Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin) and thin margins in two others (Pennsylvania and Michigan). This paper shows that deaths from COVID-19 at the county level played a small role in demotivating voters to turnout in 2020 to cast their vote for Joe Biden as President. In other words, without Covid-19, President Trump’s losses within these five states would have been even larger.
Artisanal Exploitation of Mineral Resources: Remote Sensing Observations of Environmental Consequences, Social and Ethical Aspects
Authors: Ngom Ndeye Marame , Baratoux David , Bolay Matthieu , Dessertine Anna , Abass Saley Abdoulatif , Baratoux Lenka , Mbaye Modou , Faye Gayane , Yao Alphonse Kouakou , Kouamé Kan Jean
Published: October 2022

Since the rise of the gold price in 2000, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a growing economic activity in developing countries. It represents a source of income for several millions of people in West Africa. Exploitation techniques have evolved from traditional gold panning to mechanization and use of chemical products that are harmful for the environment. Government strategies to control and regulate this activity are impeded by the difficulties to collect spatial information, due to the remote location and the mobile and informal natural of ASGM. Here we present and discuss the value of remote sensing techniques to complement the knowledge on artisanal mining impacts, including for detection of illegal sites, the evaluation of the degradation of soils and waters, the deforestation and the monitoring of expansion of ASGM with time. However, these techniques are blind regarding gender issues, labor relations, mobility, migration, and insecurity and need to be considered with knowledges from other disciplines. Remote sensing is also instilled with various powers accruing to those enabled to produce and interpret these data. Remote sensing should be therefore used in a reflexive manner that accounts for the social, ethical and political implications of ASGM governance informed by space observations.
Digital Competences of Pre-service Teachers in Italy and Poland
Authors: Tomczyk Łukasz , Fedeli Laura , Włoch Anna , Limone Pierpaolo , Frania Monika , Guarini Piergiorgio , Szyszka Michał , Mascia Maria Lidia , Falkowska Joanna
Published: October 2022

The aim of this research was to compare the level of digital competence of future pedagogical staff (students of pedagogical faculties) in Italy and Poland. The research was conducted using original measurement tools and knowledge tests. The triangulation of techniques and research tools made possible the determination of the level of knowledge of the positive and negative features of the development of the information society, as well as the proficiency and frequency of use of the most popular websites and software. The research was conducted in the first half of 2022 using stratified sampling in both countries (N = 1209, IT = 604, PL = 605). Based on the data collected, it was noted that: (1) Pre-service teachers most often use software such as word processors and presentation creation tools; (2) This group very rarely uses software to create web pages, create visual material, or edit video; (3) The least problematic software that students use are word processors and multimedia presentations; (4) Among the typical ICT mediated activities that cause problems are: searching for and installing freeware (PL), installing and configuring parental control software (PL, IT), creating websites (PL, IT), searching for freely licensed images, and identifying plagiarism (PL); (5) Polish students have more theoretical knowledge about e-risks and the possibilities of the digital world than their Italian counterparts; (6) In most domains, the Italian future teachers rate their competences higher; (7) 53.81% of the respondents in IT and 38.68% in PL received lower results in competence tests, and handling ICT in selected areas causes problems for these students; (8) Both in PL and IT the frequency of ICT use and its seamless integration are predictors for assessing the effectiveness of ICT use in education.
Associations Among Sex, Cognitive Ability, and Autism Symptoms in Individuals with Down Syndrome
Authors: del Hoyo Soriano Laura , Sterling Audra , Edgin Jamie , Hamilton Debra R. , Berry-Kravis Elizabeth , Dimachkie Nunnally Amanda , Thurman Angela John , Abbeduto Leonard
Published: October 2022

This study explores sex-differences in (a) rates and profiles of autism symptoms as well as in (b) the contribution of intellectual quotient (IQ) to autism symptom presentation in Down syndrome (DS). Participants were 40 males and 38 females with DS, aged 6 to 23 years. Autism symptoms were rated through the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2). Results show no sex differences in the ADOS-2 Calibrated Severity Scores (CSS). However, only females with DS who are classified as DS-Only have higher scores on verbal IQ than those classified as DS + autism. Furthermore, associations between IQ and all CSSs are found for females, but not for males. Findings suggest that verbal cognition may play differential roles for females and males with DS.
Preventing Pain and Stress-Related Ill-Health in Employees: A 6-Months Follow-Up of a Psychosocial Program in a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zetterberg Hedvig , Owiredua Christiana , Åsenlöf Pernilla , Lennartsson Rebecca , Brodda Jansen Gunilla , Boersma Katja , Linton Steven J. , Reme Silje E. , Shaw William , Nicholas Michael , Flink Ida
Published: October 2022

Purpose Pain and stress-related ill-health are major causes of long-term disability and sick leave. This study evaluated the effects of a brief psychosocial program, which previously has been tested for an at-risk population of employees. Methods The Effective Communication within the Organization (ECO) program, where supervisors and employees were trained in communication and problem solving, was compared to an active control consisting of psychoeducative lectures (PE) about pain and stress in a cluster randomized controlled trial. First-line supervisors were randomized to ECO or PE, and a total of 191 mainly female employees with self-reported pain and/or stress-related ill-health were included. The hybrid format programs consisted of 2–3 group sessions. Sick leave data was collected from social insurance registers, before and 6-months after the program. Secondary outcomes (work ability, work limitations, pain-disability risk, exhaustion symptoms, perceived stress, perceived health, quality of life, perceived communication and support from supervisors) were assessed at baseline, post intervention, and at 6-months follow-up. Results No effects were observed on primary or secondary outcome variables. Pain symptoms were common (89%), however a lower proportion (30%) were identified as at risk for long-term pain disability, which might explain the lack of evident effects. The Covid-19 pandemic affected participation rates and delivery of intervention. Conclusion In this study, preventive effects of the ECO program were not supported. Altogether, the findings point at the importance of selecting participants for prevention based on screening of psychosocial risk. Further research on workplace communication and support, and impact on employee health is warranted.
On Recognizing Staircase Compatibility
Authors: Bärmann Andreas , Gemander Patrick , Martin Alexander , Merkert Maximilian
Published: October 2022

For the problem to find an m-clique in an m-partite graph, staircase compatibility has recently been introduced as a polynomial-time solvable special case. It is a property of a graph together with an m-partition of the vertex set and total orders on each subset of the partition. In optimization problems involving m-cliques in m-partite graphs as a subproblem, it allows for totally unimodular linear programming formulations, which have shown to efficiently solve problems from different applications. In this work, we address questions concerning the recognizability of this property in the case where the m-partition of the graph is given, but suitable total orders are to be determined. While finding these total orders is NP-hard in general, we give several conditions under which it can be done in polynomial time. For bipartite graphs, we present a polynomial-time algorithm to recognize staircase compatibility and show that staircase total orders are unique up to a small set of reordering operations. On m-partite graphs, where the recognition problem is NP-complete in the general case, we identify a polynomially solvable subcase and also provide a corresponding algorithm to compute the total orders. Finally, we evaluate the performance of our ordering algorithm for m-partite graphs on a set of artificial instances as well as real-world instances from a railway timetabling application. It turns out that applying the ordering algorithm to the real-world instances and subsequently solving the problem via the aforementioned totally unimodular reformulations indeed outperforms a generic formulation which does not exploit staircase compatibility.
Burning: silenced rage in Lee and Faulkner
Authors: Pettersson Peeker Aili
Published: October 2022

This article presents a cognitively informed cross-cultural study of how rage is silenced in two narratives: Lee Chang-dong’s 2018 filmBurningand William Faulkner’s 1939 short story “Barn Burning” that Lee’s film is inspired by. While earlier readings ofBurninghave privileged the individual aspects of the violent rage that is central to the film, a cognitive reading expands the scope by revealing how emotions are always embedded within social systems beyond the individual. This article draws on neurocognitive research as well as feminist investigations of affect to argue that such an expansion is needed to imagine non-violent expressions of rage. Tracing the violent and patriarchal genealogy of silenced rage from Lee to Faulkner, this article offers a comparative reading of intertextuality that focuses on how emotions are expressed in the father-son relationships in the two stories. Specifically, it considers how legal systems and the patriarchal family shape how characters express emotion. By exploring the possibilities for non-violent expressions of rage, the article ultimately considers the political ramifications of considering rage as primarily individual and suggests that we can discern relationships between social systems and expressions of emotion by attending to how complex and culturally situated emotions—like rage—travel across global translations and adaptations.
Cognitive Impairments and blood-brain Barrier Damage in a Mouse Model of Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion
Authors: Yang Lu , Song Jiangman , Nan Di , Wan You , Guo Huailian
Published: October 2022

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is commonly involved in various brain diseases. Tight junction proteins (TJs) are key components constituting the anatomical substrate of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Changes in cognitive function and BBB after CCH and their relationship need further exploration. To investigate the effect of CCH on cognition and BBB, we developed a bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) model in Tie2-GFP mice. Mice manifested cognitive impairments accompanied with increased microglia after the BCAS operation. BCAS mice also exhibited increased BBB permeability at all time points set from D1 to D42. Furthermore, BCAS mice showed reduced expression of TJs 42 d after the operation. In addition, correct entrances of mice in radial arm maze test had a moderate negative correlation with EB extravasation. Our data suggested that BCAS could lead to cognitive deficits, microglia increase and BBB dysfunction characterized by increased BBB permeability and reduced TJs expression level. BBB permeability may be involved in the cognitive impairments induced by CCH.
Perceptual warrant and internal access
Authors: Zeimbekis John
Published: October 2022

Perceptual beliefs that categorize objects can be justified by demonstrating basic properties (eg shapes) of the objects. In these justifications, perceptual justifiers have different contents to the beliefs they justify. I argue that the justifications are not inferential. Subjects are unlikely to have bodies of beliefs adequate to inferentially justify the beliefs they actually form on the strength of their object recognition abilities, especially when recognition depends on stimulus-dependent retrieval of visual memories. Instead, I argue, the justifications exploit a partial awareness that subjects have of states and processes involved in object recognition. As such, they show that subjects have a degree of internal access to the principles of externalistic perceptual warrant, and to the features of perceptual states that give them justificatory force on externalistic accounts. The justifications themselves are evidential, but in order for them to have any justificatory force, they have to be placed in an externalistic framework for perceptual justification. I conclude that this form of justification shows that subjects have a degree of insight into why their perceptual experiences justify their beliefs.
Uniform calibration tests for forecasting systems with small lead time
Authors: Bröcker Jochen
Published: October 2022

A long noted difficulty when assessing calibration (or reliability) of forecasting systems is that calibration, in general, is a hypothesis not about a finite dimensional parameter but about an entire functional relationship. A calibrated probability forecast for binary events for instance should equal the conditional probability of the event given the forecast, whatever the value of the forecast. A new class of tests is presented that are based on estimating thecumulativedeviations from calibration. The supremum of those deviations is taken as a test statistic, and the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is established rigorously. It turns out to be universal, provided the forecasts “look one step ahead” only, or in other words, verify at the next time step in the future. The new tests apply to various different forecasting problems and are compared with established approaches which work in a regression based framework. In comparison to those approaches, the new tests develop power against a wider class of alternatives. Numerical experiments for both artificial data as well as operational weather forecasting systems are presented, and possible extensions to longer lead times are discussed.
Causality and determination, powers and agency: Anscombean perspectives
Authors: Mulder Jesse M. , Müller Thomas , Ometto Dawa , van Miltenburg Niels
Published: October 2022

Anscombe’s 1971 inaugural lecture at Cambridge, entitled ‘Causality and Determination’, has had a lasting influence on a remarkably broad range of philosophers and philosophical debates, touching on fundamental topics in philosophy of science, action theory, the free will debate, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and metaphysics. Especially where anti-reductionist or pluralist strands of philosophical thought are being seriously considered, one should not be surprised to find references to Anscombe’s lecture. Moreover, there appears to be a growing interest in Anscombe’s comprehensive philosophical outlook, as attested by the recent publication of a weighty collection of essays spanning that outlook in its full breadth in the prestigious Routledge Philosophical Minds series. Against this background it is apt that now, 50 years after the original lecture, a Topical Collection sees the light, circling around the most central themes from Anscombe’s lecture, with a particular emphasis on the question how these hang together, how they form part of the larger philosophical project that Anscombe obviously intended the lecture to highlight. This Introduction motivates the Topical Collection, and introduces the various contributions against that background.
DLC-Coated Thermoplastics: Tribological Analyses under Lubricated Rolling-Sliding Conditions
Authors: Reitschuster S. , Maier E. , Lohner T. , Stahl K. , Bobzin K. , Kalscheuer C. , Thiex M. , Sperka P. , Hartl M.
Published: October 2022

The goal of this work is to evaluate the potential of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings on thermoplastic polymers for friction and wear reduction in highly stressed rolling–sliding contacts. Therefore, hydrogen-containing DLC coatings were deposited on the polymer surface by a low-temperature high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. The rolling-sliding contact between coated polyamide 66 (PA66) or coated polyether ether ketone (PEEK) against case-hardened steel 16MnCr5 is investigated in a twin-disk tribometer at normal loads up to FN = 1,000 N, sum velocities between 1 m/s ≤ vΣ ≤ 16 m/s and slip ratios up to s = 50%. Results show a friction reduction with the application of DLC on the considered polymers compared to uncoated polymers under specific lubrication conditions. High solid losses caused by the polymer’s internal damping properties dominate the temperature behavior of the polymer, even when coated with DLC. Regarding the wear behavior, DLC coatings show potential especially under severe mixed lubrication conditions with high-solid load portion and sliding. The knowledge gained about coated polymers can be used to improve the overall tribological performance in terms of friction and wear of thermoplastic machine elements like gears.
Long-Term Lubricity of Carbon Nanoparticle Coatings on Periodically Laser-Patterned Metallic Surfaces
Authors: MacLucas Timothy , Leonhard-Trautmann Philipp , Suarez Sebastian , Mücklich Frank
Published: October 2022

The lubricity of coatings made from different types of carbon nanoparticles such as carbon onions, carbon nanohorns and carbon nanotubes is investigated on line-patterned AISI 304 stainless-steel substrates using ball-on-disc tribometry over 200,000 sliding cycles. Picosecond direct laser interference patterning is used to create line-patterns on the substrate surfaces which are subsequently coated by electrophoretic deposition. Friction testing is conducted on as-processed surfaces in linear reciprocal mode at a normal load of 100 mN with alumina and 100Cr6 as counter body materials. The resulting wear tracks on the substrates as well as wear scars on the counter bodies are characterized by scanning electron microscopy as well as energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Tribometry shows that CNTs have the ability to maintain lubricity against both counter body materials. CO and CNH coatings sustain their lubricity against 100Cr6 over the full test duration but fail against alumina. In contrast to alumina, substantial carbon transfer from the substrate surface to 100Cr6 counter body is observed.
The Reactive Element Effect
Authors: Fritscher Klaus
Published: October 2022

Rationalizing the reactive element effect operative in alumina- and chromia-forming alloys upon oxidation under oxidizing hot gas atmospheres, referring to investigations on zirconium oxide-coated test samples for gas turbine alloys. This retrospective study uses the results of cyclic furnace lifetime tests conducted at 1100 °C on ZrO2-coated Ni-base alloys with Y− or Y+ Hf-doped bond coats and correlates them with the parabolic oxidation rate constant at 1100 °C of binary NiAl alloys doped with Y, Zr, or Hf. Parallel results at higher temperatures allow the respective oxidation processes during the cyclic lifetimes to be assigned to cation-dominated or anion-dominated transport processes. The correlations document the close interrelationship between

the refractory element content (Mo, Re, Ta, W) in the substrate alloy

the total content of the two reactive elements Y and Zr in the mixed zone of the scale, representing a Me3+ iso-valence value

individual relative lifetime parameters in pct for EBPVD thermal barrier coating systems associated with cation-dominated transport processes.
How Has Molecular Biology Enhanced Our Undertaking of axSpA and Its Management
Authors: Fatica Mauro , D’Antonio Arianna , Novelli Lucia , Triggianese Paola , Conigliaro Paola , Greco Elisabetta , Bergamini Alberto , Perricone Carlo , Chimenti Maria Sole
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This review aims at investigating pathophysiological mechanisms in spondyloarthritis (SpA). Analysis of genetic factors, immunological pathways, and abnormalities of bone metabolism lay the foundations for a better understanding of development of the axial clinical manifestations in patients, allowing physician to choose the most appropriate therapeutic strategy in a more targeted manner.

Recent Findings

In addition to the contribution of MHC system, findings emerged about the role of non-HLA genes (as ERAP1 and 2, whose inhibition could represent a new therapeutic approach) and of epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the expression of genes involved in SpA pathogenesis. Increasing evidence of bone metabolism abnormalities secondary to the activation of immunological pathways suggests the development of various bone anomalies that are present in axSpA patients.

SpA are a group of inflammatory diseases with a multifactorial origin, whose pathogenesis is linked to the genetic predisposition, the action of environmental risk factors, and the activation of immune response. It is now well known how bone metabolism leads to long-term structural damage via increased bone turnover, bone loss and osteoporosis, osteitis, erosions, osteosclerosis, and osteoproliferation. These effects can exist in the same patient over time or even simultaneously. Evidence suggests a cross relationship among innate immunity, autoimmunity, and bone remodeling in SpA, making treatment approach a challenge for rheumatologists. Specifically, treatment targets are consistently increasing as new drugs are upcoming. Both biological and targeted synthetic drugs are promising in terms of their efficacy and safety profile in patients affected by SpA.
How first comes energy efficiency? Assessing the energy efficiency first principle in the EU using a comprehensive indicator-based approach
Authors: Chlechowitz Mara , Reuter Matthias , Eichhammer Wolfgang
Published: October 2022

The energy efficiency first (EE1) principle was defined and established as a leading principle of the European Union’s energy policy with the Clean Energy for All Europeans package in 2016. The principle requires demand resources to be considered on par with supply-side solutions and prioritized whenever they are less costly or deliver more value than alternative options. This approach should be applied in every planning process, decision-making, and investment regarding the energy sector. In order to examine to which degree the EE1 principle is actually implemented by the Member States, we developed a composite indicator, which consists of 13 criteria. These criteria capture the multiple facets of the EE1 principle and thus can also be used as a guide for the EU Member States in their operationalization of the EE1 principle. After the development of the methodology, the indicator-based approach is tested to assess the implementation of the EE1 principle in the national energy and climate plans of 14 Member States. The aim of this step is to demonstrate the feasibility of the indicator and its applicability as an assessment tool across different countries in the EU. The results imply that the fundamentals of the principle are understood and realized. Nevertheless, most countries would still fail to ensure an equal treatment between supply and demand-side resources and neglect the multiple benefits associated with energy efficiency improvements. However, those finding should be considered with caution since only limited data was used to test the operationalization of the indicator on the EE1 principle.
The prognostic implication of latitude in uveal melanoma: a nationwide observational cohort study of all patients born in Sweden between 1947 and 1989
Authors: Stålhammar Gustav , Williams Pete A. , Landelius Tomas
Published: October 2022

Background

The incidence of uveal melanoma increases with latitude. In this study, we examine the importance of latitude for uveal melanoma prognosis.

Methods

All uveal melanoma patients born in Sweden between 1947 and 1990 were included (n = 745). The latitude of patients’ birthplaces and home counties at the time of uveal melanoma diagnosis were collected. For all latitudes, data on sunlight and UV intensity parameters, temperature, daytime length variations, and socioeconomic factors were added. The prognostic implication of birthplace latitude and of moving > 1 degree of latitude was examined with multivariate Cox regressions and competing risk analyses.

Findings

There were no significant differences in patient sex, age, tumor size, T-category, or BAP-1 immunoexpression between patients born in the south, central or northern regions of Sweden. Decreasing birthplace latitude was a predictor of uveal melanoma-related mortality in multivariate Cox regression. Patients that were born in southern regions or moved > 1 degree south between birth and diagnosis had higher incidence of uveal melanoma-related mortality in competing risk analysis. The sum of yearly sunshine hours, global sunlight radiation, average daily ultraviolet light intensity, average annual temperature, or net wealth were not predictors of uveal melanoma-related mortality.

Interpretation

Latitude is a prognostic factor in uveal melanoma. This does not seem to be related to variations in patient or tumor characteristics at presentation, in management, in sunlight intensity, in ultraviolet light irradiance, in temperature, or in wealth. Future studies should examine if periodical changes in daylight hours or other factors could explain the prognostic implication.
Improvement of Rainfall Measurements by Using a Dual Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge
Authors: Choi Jeong Hwan , Chang Ki-Ho , Kim Kyung-Eak , Bang Ki Seok
Published: October 2022

The Dual Tipping Bucket Gauge (DTBG) is newly developed to improve the accuracy of rainfall measurements. DTBG includes two tipping buckets (TBs) in a gauge cylinder, named TB01 and TB05. The measurement resolution of TB01 and TB05 are 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, respectively. Rainfall measurements by DTBG are made simultaneously by the two TBs. The higher amount of rainfall from either TB01 or TB05 is then taken as the rainfall amount by DTBG, which constitutes a major advantage of DTBG compared to a single TB rain gauge. For 14 rainfall events, the accuracy of DTBG was assessed by inter-comparisons of rainfall amounts by DTBG and Pluvio2 (reference gauge). The rainfall intensities by DTBG were fairly consistent with those by Pluvio2, with an average fractional bias of 0.07%. The present study demonstrates that DTBG is more accurate and reliable compared to a single TB rain gauge.
Highly sensitive and selective colorimetric sensing of CO2 for biomedical applications
Authors: Shahid Shahina , Geetha Mithra , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar , Remani Divya , Muthusamy Suresh , Muthalif Asan G. A. , Al-maadeed Somaya
Published: October 2022

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in unhealthy people differs greatly from healthy people. High-precision CO2 detection with a quick response time is essential for many biomedical applications. A major focus of this research is on the detection of CO2, one of the most important health biomarkers. We investigated a low-cost, flexible, and reliable strategy by using dyes for colorimetric CO2 sensing in this study. The impacts of temperature, pH, reaction time, reusability, concentration, and dye selectivity were studied thoroughly. This study described real-time CO2 analysis. Using this multi-dye method, we got an average detection limit of 1.98 ppm for CO2, in the range of 50–120 ppm. A portable colorimetric instrument with a smartphone-assisted unit was constructed to determine the relative red/green/blue values for real-time and practical applications within 15 s of interaction and the readings are very similar to those of an optical fiber probe. Environmental and biological chemistry applications are likely to benefit greatly from this unique approach.
Sustained employment, work disability and work functioning in CKD patients: a cross-sectional survey study
Authors: Alma Manna A. , van der Mei Sijrike F. , Brouwer Sandra , Hilbrands Luuk B. , van der Boog Paul J. M. , Uiterwijk Herma , Waanders Femke , Hengst Maaike , Gansevoort Ron T. , Visser Annemieke
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Kidney failure negatively affects opportunities for work participation. Little is known about work functioning of employed CKD patients. This study investigates work-related outcomes, and examines associations between patient characteristics and employment status.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional survey study in nine nephrology outpatient clinics in the Netherlands among working age (18–67 years) CKD Stage G3b-G5, dialysis and transplant patients (n = 634; mean age 53.4 years (SD 10); 53% male; 47% Stage G3b-G5, 9% dialysis, 44% transplantation). We assessed employment status, work disability, work-related characteristics (i.e., work situation, working hours, job demands), work functioning (i.e., perceived ability to work, productivity loss, limitations in work), work environment (i.e., work accommodations, psychosocial work environment), as well as health status and fatigue.

Results

Sixty-five percent were employed reporting moderate work ability. Of those, 21% received supplementary work disability benefits, 37% were severely fatigued, 7% expected to drop out of the workforce, and 49% experienced CKD-related work limitations. Work accommodations included reduced working hours, working at a slower pace, adjustment of work tasks or work schedule, and working from home. Multivariable analysis of sustained employment showed associations with younger age, male gender, higher level of education, better general and physical health and pre-emptive transplantation. Transplant patients had the highest work ability and highest expectation to maintain work. Dialysis patients had the highest productivity loss and perceived the most limitations regarding functioning in work. Stage G3b-G5 patients reported the lowest social support from colleagues and highest conflict in work and private life.

Conclusions

Employed CKD patients experience difficulties regarding functioning in work requiring adjustment of work or partial work disability. In addition to dialysis patients, stage G3b-G5 patients are vulnerable concerning sustained employment and work functioning.