bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gas price caps and electricity production effects in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War: modeling and new policy reforms
Authors: Roeger Werner , Welfens Paul J. J.
Published: December 2022

The merit-order approach in the electricity market, which is in widespread use across the EU27 and the UK, has proven to be somewhat economically problematic in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War. The massively increased gas prices since summer 2022—in the context of Russian supply cuts to the EU—has led to an abnormally high electricity price. Using the merit order approach, the price of electricity increases enormously if, as is often the case, gas is the last type of energy still realized in power generation; this leads to artificial increases in returns for all other types of energy providers whose output is used in power generation. Gas price increases by Russia or Russian supply cuts to the EU can increase the price of electricity and also the rate of inflation, as well as depress real income. The electricity price shock can be countered by switching—temporarily—to a modified regulation of the electricity market for a few years with a gas price subsidy in the electricity market. In a macroeconomic analysis, we identify both the output losses and adverse distributional effects of a gas price hike and find that a gas price subsidy is superior in stabilizing output and employment compared to a transfer; it also at least partially addresses certain distributional issues by reducing windfall profits in the electricity market. The study advocates a combination of gas price subsidies only in the electricity market and targeted transfers to households to meet both efficiency and distributional targets. The macro-analysis findings presented herein should be considered carefully, as they could minimize the welfare losses in the EU and the UK. As regards the expansion of renewable energy-based electricity, it is shown herein that the cost-differential between gas-fired power stations and renewable electricity is critical—large cost differentials imply barriers for the expansion of electricity generation from renewables unless there is a price regulation of electricity. There is the potential for an inefficient adjustment path due to nonlinearities. With a proposed narrow gas price cap for the electricity market only, the associated initial deficit related to necessary subsidies is, of course, much smaller than in the case of a general gas price cap.
Competitive location problems: balanced facility location and the One-Round Manhattan Voronoi Game
Authors: Byrne Thomas , Fekete Sándor P. , Kalcsics Jörg , Kleist Linda
Published: December 2022

We study competitive location problems in a continuous setting, in which facilities have to be placed in a rectangular domain R of normalized dimensions of 1 and $$\rho \ge 1$$

ρ
≥
1

, and distances are measured according to the Manhattan metric. We show that the family of balanced facility configurations (in which the Voronoi cells of individual facilities are equalized with respect to a number of geometric properties) is considerably richer in this metric than for Euclidean distances. Our main result considers the One-Round Voronoi Game with Manhattan distances, in which first player White and then player Black each place n points in R; each player scores the area for which one of its facilities is closer than the facilities of the opponent. We give a tight characterization: White has a winning strategy if and only if $$\rho \ge n$$

ρ
≥
n

; for all other cases, we present a winning strategy for Black.
Ocular toxicity of investigational anti-cancer drugs in early phase clinical trials
Authors: Takamizawa Shigemasa , Katsuya Yuki , Chen Yi-Ning , Mizuno Takaaki , Koyama Takafumi , Sudo Kazuki , Yoshida Tatsuya , Kondo Shunsuke , Iwasa Satoru , Yonemori Kan , Shimizu Toshio , Yamamoto Noboru , Suzuki Shigenobu
Published: December 2022

Ocular toxicities arising from anti-cancer drugs occur sporadically and are sometimes underestimated because they are not life-threatening. Reports focusing on ocular toxicities from cancer therapy are limited. We investigated the detailed progress of ocular toxicities of anti-cancer drugs including first-in-class ones. A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for patients who were involved in early phase clinical trials with scheduled ophthalmologic examinations according to their protocols between January 2014 and August 2021. Patients with ocular toxicity suspected to be related to the investigational drugs in the ophthalmic examination were investigated in detail. In total, 37 ocular toxicities related to investigational drugs occurred in 7.6% of patients (33/434). The median age of the 33 patients was 61 years (range, 33–76 years), and 20 were male. Causal drugs with a high incidence of ocular toxicities were HSP90 inhibitors and FGFR inhibitors. Retinopathy was most frequent, while conjunctivitis, dry eye, keratitis, keratopathy, and uveitis were also observed. Dim vision as a subjective finding was a unique adverse event. Most patients developed ocular toxicities even though their dose was below the drug’s maximum tolerated dose. Except for one case, all ocular toxicities occurred bilaterally. About 60% (22/37) of ocular toxicity cases needed a temporary hold of the drug. All except for three cases fully recovered. This study reported the risks and timing of the onset of a variety of ocular toxicities of anti-cancer drugs, which were fundamentally controllable. (Trial registration number. Retrospectively registered)
Inter-American Society of Cardiology (CIFACAH-ELECTROSIAC) and Latin-American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS): multidisciplinary review on the appropriate use of implantable cardiodefibrillator in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Gómez-Mesa Juan Esteban , Márquez-Murillo Manlio , Figueiredo Marcio , Berni Ana , Jerez Ana Margarita , Núñez-Ayala Elaine , Pow-Chon Freddy , Sáenz-Morales Luis Carlos , Pava-Molano Luis Fernando , Montes María Claudia , Garillo Raúl , Galindo-Coral Stephania , Reyes-Caorsi Walter , Speranza Mario , Romero Alexander
Published: December 2022

Background

Our main objective was to present a multidisciplinary review on the epidemiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and the tools that could be used to identify malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and to perform risk stratification. In addition, indications and contraindications for the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in general and in special populations including the elderly and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are also given.

Methods

An expert group from the Inter American Society of Cardiology (IASC), through their HF Council (CIFACAH) and Electrocardiology Council (ElectroSIAC), together with the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS), reviewed and discussed the literature regarding the appropriate use of an ICD in people with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF). Indications and contraindications for the use of ICD are presented in this multidisciplinary review.

Results

Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the usefulness of ICD in both primary and secondary prevention of SCD in HFpEF. There are currently precise indications and contraindications for the use of these devices.

Conclusions

In some Latin American countries, a low rate of implantation is correlated with low incomes, but this is not the case for all Latin America. Determinants of the low rates of ICD implantation in many Latin American countries are still a matter of research. VA remains one of the most common causes of cardiovascular death associated with HFrEF and different tools are available for stratifying the risk of SCD in this population.
Juvenile Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Identification of Novel Central Neuroinflammation Biomarkers
Authors: Labouret Mathilde , Costi Stefania , Bondet Vincent , Trebossen Vincent , Le Roux Enora , Ntorkou Alexandra , Bartoli Sophie , Auvin Stéphane , Bader-Meunier Brigitte , Baudouin Véronique , Corseri Olivier , Dingulu Glory , Ducrocq Camille , Dumaine Cécile , Elmaleh Monique , Fabien Nicole , Faye Albert , Hau Isabelle , Hentgen Véronique , Kwon Théresa , Meinzer Ulrich , Ouldali Naim , Parmentier Cyrielle , Pouletty Marie , Renaldo Florence , Savioz Isabelle , Rozenberg Flore , Frémond Marie-Louise , Lepelley Alice , Rice Gillian I. , Seabra Luis , Benoist Jean-François , Duffy Darragh , Crow Yanick J. , Ellul Pierre , Melki Isabelle
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (j-SLE) is a rare chronic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs. Ranging from minor features, such as headache or mild cognitive impairment, to serious and life-threatening presentations, j-neuropsychiatric SLE (j-NPSLE) is a therapeutic challenge. Thus, the diagnosis of NPSLE remains difficult, especially in pediatrics, with no specific biomarker of the disease yet validated.

Objectives

To identify central nervous system (CNS) disease biomarkers of j-NPSLE.

Methods

A 5-year retrospective tertiary reference monocentric j-SLE study. A combination of standardized diagnostic criteria and multidisciplinary pediatric clinical expertise was combined to attribute NP involvement in the context of j-SLE. Neopterin and interferon-alpha (IFN-α) protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were assessed, together with routine biological and radiological investigations.

Results

Among 51 patients with j-SLE included, 39% presented with j-NPSLE. J-NPSLE was diagnosed at onset of j-SLE in 65% of patients. No specific routine biological or radiological marker of j-NPSLE was identified. However, CSF neopterin levels were significantly higher in active j-NPSLE with CNS involvement than in j-SLE alone (p = 0.0008). Neopterin and IFN-α protein levels in CSF were significantly higher at diagnosis of j-NPSLE with CNS involvement than after resolution of NP features (respectively p = 0.0015 and p = 0.0010) upon immunosuppressive treatment in all patients tested (n = 10). Both biomarkers correlated strongly with each other (Rs = 0.832, p < 0.0001, n = 23 paired samples).

Conclusion

CSF IFN-α and neopterin constitute promising biomarkers useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of activity in j-NPSLE.
Potential applications of basalt fibre composites in thermal shielding
Authors: Tamás-Bényei Péter , Sántha Péter
Published: December 2022

This present study demonstrates the applicability of basalt fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP) composite materials in thermal shielding. Basalt fibres are produced from natural, sustainable sources and obtain comparable mechanical performance to commercial glass fibres. In addition to their mechanical strength, BFRPs have excellent chemical and heat resistance. Basalt fibres tend to have a higher thermal stability than their competitor glass fibres. The heat resistance of basalt fibres derives from the volcanic origin of the raw material basalt gabbro. These favourable features make BFRP composites an attractive group of materials for application in several industries. To test the fire resistance of the materials, we produced mono and hybrid composite plates from different types of basalt reinforcement structures (milled fibres, chopped fibres and woven fabric) and epoxy resin. Surface treatment with silane coupling agents significantly improved the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of BFRPs by up to 70%. Three-point bending tests were performed to determine the flexural properties of the composite specimens, and their fire behaviour was evaluated with a horizontal burning test, and a novel jet fire test assisted with infrared thermal imaging. Higher fibre content in hybrid laminates decreased the linear burning rate by 8%, and the maximum surface temperature was approximately 80 °C lower after jet fire impingement compared to woven reinforcement structure.
“Are You a TA Practitioner, Then?” – Identity Constructions in Post-Normal Science
Authors: Kastenhofer Karen , Bauer Anja
Published: December 2022

Technology assessment (TA) is a paradigmatic case for the manifold and, at times, ambiguous processes of identity formation of researchers in inter- and transdisciplinary settings. TA combines the natural, technical, and social sciences and follows the multiple missions of scientific analysis, public outreach, and policy advice. However, despite this diversity, it also constitutes a genuine community with its own discourses, conferences, and publications. To which extent “being a TA practitioner” also provides for a genuine scholarly identity is still unclear. Building on interviews with technology assessment practitioners at an academic TA institute, we ask what inter/trans/disciplinary identification patterns emerge in this field. Our analysis shows that TA practitioners adopt multiple identities, from “enthusiastic TA practitioner” to “strong interdisciplinarian” or “disciplinarian” – with distinct identity troubles inherent in all these options. We find that generational affiliation plays a vital role in identity formation. It relates to different primary orientations (towards research or advisory practices), inter/disciplinary backgrounds, contracting modes, and lengths of time spent at the TA institute. We conclude firstly, that disciplinary categories figure strongly in transdisciplinary identities; secondly, that the relation of chronos and identity warrants more substantial consideration: as time spent at a transdisciplinary institute as or as perceived options for “futuring one’s identity”; thirdly, that our understanding of academic generations could profit from a more sociological conception; and, fourthly, that TA’s multidisciplinary setup and threefold orientation towards science, society, and policy result in multiplying possible identities and thus making it difficult to form a stable community.
Analytical Workflows to Unlock Predictive Power in Biotherapeutic Developability
Authors: Trikeriotis Markos , Akbulatov Sergey , Esposito Umberto , Anastasiou Athanasios , Leszczyszyn Oksana I.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Forming accurate data models that assist the design of developability assays is one area that requires a deep and practical understanding of the problem domain. We aim to incorporate expert knowledge into the model building process by creating new metrics from instrument data and by guiding the choice of input parameters and Machine Learning (ML) techniques.

Methods

We generated datasets from the biophysical characterisation of 5 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We explored combinations of techniques and parameters to uncover the ones that better describe specific molecular liabilities, such as conformational and colloidal instability. We also employed ML algorithms to predict metrics from the dataset.

Results

We found that the combination of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Light Scattering thermal ramps enabled us to identify domain-specific aggregation in mAbs that would be otherwise overlooked by common developability workflows. We also found that the response to different salt concentrations provided information about colloidal stability in agreement with charge distribution models. Finally, we predicted DSC transition temperatures from the dataset, and used the order of importance of different metrics to increase the explainability of the model.

Conclusions

The new analytical workflows enabled a better description of molecular behaviour and uncovered links between structural properties and molecular liabilities. In the future this new understanding will be coupled with ML algorithms to unlock their predictive power during developability assessment.
Plant-soil feedback in the ‘real world’: how does fire fit into all of this?
Authors: Kardol P. , Yang T. , Arroyo D. N. , Teste F. P.
Published: December 2022

Aims

Plant–soil feedback (PSF) is an important mechanism controlling plant growth, vegetation dynamics, and longer-term and larger-scale patterns of plant community diversity. We know that feedback between plants and soil biota depends on several external factors, such as nutrient and water availability, and interactions with neighbouring plants. We argue that in the ‘real world’, PSF are not working in isolation but instead proceed within a complex context of multiple interacting factors. Fire is one of those complex external factors which could greatly alter PSF by re-setting or re-directing plant-soil biota interactions.

Methods

We reviewed key literature on the effects of fire on soil biota and soil physicochemical properties with soil depth, to generate predictions on the complex effects of fire on PSF.

Results

We highlight that fire has strong potential to directly and indirectly affect the strength of PSF. To what extent this influences longer-term plant community trajectories depends on the interactions between fire characteristics and ecosystem type. Here, we conceptualized these effects of fire on soil properties and biota, and then discuss the main pathways through which fire should alter PSF.

Conclusions

We think that PSF processes should be nullified under and after fire. Average neutral PSF responses are expected to be more common in the short-term or within the timeframe required for major soil microbial players to regain their pre-fire abundances and diversity. We conclude by providing directions for future research and possible methods to study fire effects on PSF both in the field and under controlled conditions.
Defining networks in entrepreneurial ecosystems: the openness of ecosystems
Authors: Prokop Daniel , Thompson Piers
Published: December 2022

The paper draws on network theory to employ concepts of homophily and heterophily to investigate whether the presence of familiar, unfamiliar or a mix of actors in an entrepreneurial ecosystem is related to start-up rates. The empirical focus of this study is on 81 UK university entrepreneurial ecosystems and their outputs in terms of academic spinoff companies. The paper finds that university entrepreneurial ecosystems with access to actors of predominantly heterophilious character are associated with higher spinoff start-up rates. It is concluded that in stimulating the development of successful entrepreneurial ecosystems there is a clear need to focus on their openness to heterophilious actors, inclusive of other ecosystems. This is especially important in the context of network lock-in that may arise from dependence on homophilious ties.

Plain English Summary

Entrepreneurial ecosystems characterised by openness to diverse actors generate more firms, as shown in a study focusing on 81 UK university entrepreneurial ecosystems. The paper studies network character of actors in entrepreneurial ecosystems and whether this character is associated with start-up rates. Specifically, it focuses on the familiarity of actors, inspecting whether it is related to greater venture formations. In so doing, the study examines 81 UK university entrepreneurial ecosystems. It finds that university entrepreneurial ecosystems that generate more ventures are associated with having a presence of actors of unfamiliar character, drawing attention to the openness of ecosystems’ networks. The key implication of the study is in recognising the link between the ecosystem’s openness to diverse actors and its entrepreneurial performance.
Synergistic inhibition of Pseudomonas fluorescens growth and proteases activities via sodium chlorite-based oxyhalogen
Authors: Abolmaaty Assem , Abdelkader Reham M. M. , Amin Dina H.
Published: December 2022

Pseudomonas fluorescens is considered among the main spoilage microorganisms due to its ability to produce proteases. Food deterioration caused by spoilage microorganisms has a major impact on food quality and the environment. The inactivation of Pseudomonas fluorescens growth and protease production was intensively investigated with the use of Salmide®, A Sodium Chlorite-Based Oxy­halogen Disinfectant. A unique M9 media was also developed to assure sufficient protease productions with different mutants of Pseudomonas fluorescens as a microbioreactor. Mutations were induced by classical whole-cell mutagenesis using N-methyl-N′- nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG). A dramatic decrease occurred in protease activity when different Salmide concentrations (5, 10, and 15 ppm) were added to the growth culture followed by a complete inhibition concentration (20, 25, 50, and 100 ppm) of Salmide. However, no significant inhibition occurred once it is secreted out of cells. Some mutants were resistant and remains highly stable with high protease production under stressful conditions of Sodium Chlorite-Based Oxy­halogen. The production of the protease showed a linear correlation with the increase in incubation time using a continuous culture bioreactor system and recorded maximum protease activity after 40 h. Our findings would offer alternative antimicrobial procedures for food and industrial sectors.
What makes an online review credible? A systematic review of the literature and future research directions
Authors: Pooja K. , Upadhyaya Pallavi
Published: December 2022

Online reviews of products and services are strategic tools for e-commerce platforms, as they aid in consumers’ pre-purchase decisions. Past research studies indicate online reviews impact brand image and consumer behaviour. With several instances of fake reviews and review manipulations, review credibility has become a concern for consumers and service providers. In recent years, due to growing webcare attitude among managers, the need for maintaining credible online reviews on the e-commerce platforms has gained attention. Though, there are several empirical studies on review credibility, the findings are diverse and contradicting. Therefore, in this paper, we systematically review the literature to provide a holistic view of antecedents of online review credibility. We examine variables, methods, and theoretical perspective of online review credibility research using 69 empirical research papers shortlisted through multi-stage selection process. We identify five broad groups of antecedents: source characteristics, review characteristics, consumer characteristics, interpersonal determinants in the social media platform and product type. Further, we identify research issues and propose directions for future research. This study contributes to existing knowledge in management research by providing the holistic understanding of the “online review credibility” construct and helps understand what factors lead to consumers’ belief in the credibility of online review. The insights gained would provide managers adequate cues to design effective online review systems.
Problems, principles and progress in computational annotation of NMR metabolomics data
Authors: Judge Michael T. , Ebbels Timothy M. D.
Published: December 2022

Background

Compound identification remains a critical bottleneck in the process of exploiting Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) metabolomics data, especially for 1H 1-dimensional (1H 1D) data. As databases of reference compound spectra have grown, workflows have evolved to rely heavily on their search functions to facilitate this process by generating lists of potential metabolites found in complex mixture data, facilitating annotation and identification. However, approaches for validating and communicating annotations are most often guided by expert knowledge, and therefore are highly variable despite repeated efforts to align practices and define community standards.

Aim of review

This review is aimed at broadening the application of automated annotation tools by discussing the key ideas of spectral matching and beginning to describe a set of terms to classify this information, thus advancing standards for communicating annotation confidence. Additionally, we hope that this review will facilitate the growing collaboration between chemical data scientists, software developers and the NMR metabolomics community aiding development of long-term software solutions.

Key scientific concepts of review

We begin with a brief discussion of the typical untargeted NMR identification workflow. We differentiate between annotation (hypothesis generation, filtering), and identification (hypothesis testing, verification), and note the utility of different NMR data features for annotation. We then touch on three parts of annotation: (1) generation of queries, (2) matching queries to reference data, and (3) scoring and confidence estimation of potential matches for verification. In doing so, we highlight existing approaches to automated and semi-automated annotation from the perspective of the structural information they utilize, as well as how this information can be represented computationally.
Wie Entwicklungs- und Implementierungsprozesse gelingen können
Authors: Hochuli Freund Ursula , Gebert Jakin , Sprenger Raphaela , Amez-Droz Pascal , Hübscher Robin , Grumbinaite Indre
Published: December 2022

Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, wie Entwicklungs- und Implementierungsprozesse in der Sozialen Arbeit verlaufen und welche Aspekte für das Gelingen dieser Prozesse zu berücksichtigen sind. Wir stellen die wichtigsten Ergebnisse eines kooperativ angelegten Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekts vor und diskutieren diese vor dem Hintergrund des aktuellen Wissensstandes. Dies ist die Basis für ein neues, integriertes Phasenmodell für Entwicklungs- und Implementierungsprozesse in psychosozialen Arbeitsfeldern; demnach sind Veränderungsprozesse deutlich langfristiger zu konzipieren und Entwicklung und Implementierung stärker miteinander zu verschränken.
Development of deep neural network model to predict the compressive strength of FRCM confined columns
Authors: Le-Nguyen Khuong , Minh Quyen Cao , Ahmad Afaq , Ho Lanh Si
Published: December 2022

The present study describes a reliability analysis of the strength model for predicting concrete columns confinement influence with Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM). through both physical models and Deep Neural Network model (artificial neural network (ANN) with double and triple hidden layers). The database of 330 samples collected for the training model contains many important parameters, i.e., section type (circle or square), corner radius rc, unconfined concrete strength fco, thickness nt, the elastic modulus of fiber Ef, the elastic modulus of mortar Em. The results revealed that the proposed ANN models well predicted the compressive strength of FRCM with high prediction accuracy. The ANN model with double hidden layers (APDL-1) was shown to be the best to predict the compressive strength of FRCM confined columns compared with the ACI design code and five physical models. Furthermore, the results also reveal that the unconfined compressive strength of concrete, type of fiber mesh for FRCM, type of section, and the corner radius ratio, are the most significant input variables in the efficiency of FRCM confinement prediction. The performance of the proposed ANN models (including double and triple hidden layers) had high precision with R higher than 0.93 and RMSE smaller than 0.13, as compared with other models from the literature available.
Sustainable thin-wall machining: holistic analysis considering the energy efficiency, productivity, and product quality
Authors: Bolar Gururaj , Joshi Shrikrishna N. , Das Sanghamitra
Published: December 2022

Enhanced energy efficiency, product quality, and productivity have become crucial requirements in thin-wall machining. Therefore, the work examined the impact of axial depth of cut, radial depth of cut, feed per tooth, and tool diameter on three performance measures. Full factorial was used to design experiments, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), a statistical method, was employed to analyze and interpret the influence of process variables on the machining performance. Additionally, Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) was adopted to arrive at the Pareto-optimal solutions to evaluate the trade-off between the three performance measures. The optimized process parameters for roughing operation helped maximize the process productivity at the expense of product quality. In contrast, the Pareto solutions for finishing operation effectively improved energy efficiency and produced quality open straight and curved thin-wall parts. Improved surface finish with minimal deflection can be achieved by milling with a cutter of diameter 8 mm and maintaining the feed, axial, and radial depth at 0.02 mm/z, 8 mm, and 0.3125 mm, respectively. The proposed findings can provide effective solutions for machining open straight and curved thin-wall parts with improved productivity, product quality, and energy efficiency.
Geological studies and engineering applications of some Middle Eocene carbonate rocks in East The Minia Area, Egypt
Authors: Moftah Hussein , Hassan Hossameldin , Moustafa Alaa , Mohamed Atef , A M Ali Mahrous , Abdellah Wael R.
Published: December 2022

Carbonate rocks from the Minia, Samalut, Maghagha, and Qarara localities were collected for geological and engineering research. The purpose of this study is to determine the suitability of these rocks for exploitation in the construction, aggregate, and chemical fields. The petrography, physical, and mechanical analyses show that the rock has the most suitable qualities for many uses in structural engineering fields and chemical plants. Samalut Formation carbonates are exceptionally pure. As a result, they are suitable for paper, paint, and other chemical industries, whereas carbonates from the Minia Formation are suitable for paint, cement, and building. Additionally, the Maghagha and Qarara Formations are appropriate for construction.
Enhancement of MF R-Mode ranging accuracy by exploiting measurement-based error mitigation techniques
Authors: Rizzi Filippo Giacomo , Hehenkamp Niklas , Grundhöfer Lars , Gewies Stefan
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, the maritime sector strongly relies on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) for the provision of position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information. The standard functionality of several ships’ bridge instruments depends on such information, which becomes critical to have a safe and reliable navigation. Nevertheless, the possibility of GNSS outages combined with unintentional and intentional interference to GNSS signals, which have been increasing over the last years, can severely threaten the nominal activity of the crew onboard of vessels. For these reasons, alternative position, navigation, and timing (APNT) systems become fundamental in order to provide operational continuity. R(anging)-Mode is a terrestrial alternative system to GNSS for the maritime domain. In one of its possible implementation, it exploits synchronized medium frequency (MF) signals transmitted by maritime radio beacons. In the MF band, the radio waves are attenuated and distorted by the change of electrical properties of the ground along the propagation path. Moreover, these signals are affected by terrain elevation changes and large metallic infrastructures which induce an overall loss in the accuracy of the system. In this paper, we propose a mitigation technique based on the estimation of these additional error sources by using in-field range measurements. The theoretical details are explained in depth and the technique is validated with real data gathered on a measurement campaign. A clear and significant performance improvement is achieved on the range accuracy when the proposed approach is applied.
Algal biomass dual roles in phycoremediation of wastewater and production of bioenergy and value-added products
Authors: Razaviarani V. , Arab G. , Lerdwanawattana N. , Gadia Y.
Published: December 2022

Algal biomass has been gaining attention over the last decades as it is versatile and can be used in different industries, such as wastewater treatment and bioenergy industries. Microalgae are mixotrophic microorganisms that have potential to utilize nitrogen and phosphate (nutrients) and remove organic matters from wastewater streams. Phycoremediation is an intriguing and cost-efficient technique to simultaneously remove heavy metals from wastewater while removing nutrients and organic matters. The cultivated and produced algal biomass can be a promising candidate and a sustainable feedstock to produce biofuels (e.g., biodiesel, bio-alcohol, and bio-oil) and value-added products such as biochar, glycerol, functional food, and pigments. The algae suspended cultivation systems, WSP and HRAP, are efficient methods for the wastewater treatment in shallow ponds with no mechanical aeration and less required energy consumption, but when a short HRT and minimum evaporation losses are key points in the algal cultivation the PBRs are recommended. It was reported that biosorption and bioaccumulation are the two promising techniques of phycoremediation. Studies showed that among the current processes of algal biomass conversion to biofuels, transesterification of algal lipids and pyrolysis of algal biomass were found to be the most efficient techniques. This review paper investigates the applications of algal biomass in the phycoremediation of wastewater, productions of bioenergy and value-added products by reviewing articles mainly published over the last five years.

Graphical abstract
Dragon boat culture in Chebei: a case study of narratives of cultural memory in short videos
Authors: Chen Xi , Xian Yingyi
Published: December 2022

Chebei Village in Guangzhou is home to the Chebei dragon boat culture, which is an important kind of intangible cultural heritage in China. The cultural attributes and spirit that it contains are essentially cultural memory. Given the rapid development of contemporary technology and the proliferation of new entertainment possibilities, it is imperative that intangible cultural heritage be passed down and developed. By providing a way to preserve the visual and aural memories related to the Chebei dragon boat culture, media can be used to communicate and save cultural memories. In particular, media facilitate memory reconstruction by capturing both the transmission and retention of memories as well as the interactions of villagers of all ages from various households. Furthermore, the bounds of space and time in the offline world can be overcome through new media. Watching short videos on new media platforms allows people who live in or are originally from Chebei to recall, preserve, share, and convey memories from different generations whenever and wherever they are, potentially fostering a milieu of cultural sustainability and spreadability.
Surrogate-assisted evolutionary neural architecture search with network embedding
Authors: Fan Liang , Wang Handing
Published: December 2022

To accelerate the performance estimation in neural architecture search, recently proposed algorithms adopt surrogate models to predict the performance of neural architectures instead of training the network from scratch. However, it is time-consuming to collect sufficient labeled architectures for surrogate model training. To enhance the capability of surrogate models using a small amount of training data, we propose a surrogate-assisted evolutionary algorithm with network embedding for neural architecture search (SAENAS-NE). Here, an unsupervised learning method is used to generate meaningful representation of each architecture and the architectures with more similar structures are closer in the embedding space, which considerably benefits the training of surrogate models. In addition, a new environmental selection based on a reference population is designed to keep diversity of the population in each generation and an infill criterion for handling the trade-off between convergence and model uncertainty is proposed for re-evaluation. Experimental results on three different NASBench and DARTS search space illustrate that network embedding makes the surrogate model achieve comparable or superior performance. The superiority of our proposed method SAENAS-NE over other state-of-the-art neural architecture algorithm has been verified in the experiments.
A Note on R&D Innovation with Socially Responsible Firms
Authors: Buccella Domenico , Fanti Luciano , Gori Luca
Published: December 2022

This work revisits the R&D duopoly à la (d’Aspremont and Jacquemin, Am Econ Rev 78:1133–1137, 1988, d’Aspremont and Jacquemin, Am Econ Rev 80:641–642, 1990) (AJ henceforth) considering an economy with firms engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR). In the traditional AJ setting without spill-over effects, firms invest in R&D as a sub-game perfect Nash equilibrium (SPNE) strategy, but they are cast into a prisoner’s dilemma. Socially responsible firms can get the same SPNE result. Preliminarily, we show that the level of firms’ social concern has a positive effect on the R&D investment. Unlike the basic framework, however, if the consumer welfare weights enough in each firm’s objective, investing in R&D becomes a firm’s utility-enhancing strategy also without R&D spillovers: the prisoner’s dilemma vanishes, and the R&D investment-decision game with CSR turns out to be an anti-prisoner’s dilemma, in which investing in R&D is the firm’s Pareto-efficient choice. Then, if firms are CSR-oriented, investing in R&D becomes a Pareto-superior outcome for society (with or without R&D spillovers). The article also shows that R&D subsidies can be used as a welfare-maximising tool.
Beyond Traditional TOD: Integrating Multiuse Paths and Bike Share into Public Transit to Address the First/Last Mile Issue
Authors: Rogers William P. , Chen Na , Looye Johanna W.
Published: December 2022

Transit-oriented development (TOD) has been promoted worldwide as an integrated land-use and transportation strategy to foster urban sustainability. Bike share provides people with a convenient and relatively affordable way to enlarge the spatial scale of TODs across urban communities, as a solution to the first/last mile (FLM) issue with respect to the transit nodes of TODs. Even though barriers to FLM have been frequently studied, few studies incorporate people’s perceptions of their barriers and/or the integration of multiuse paths (MUPs) into the network of bike share and public transit. Using a survey conducted in the Greater Cincinnati area, Ohio, this study aimed to answer the following questions: (1) What are people's major barriers to integrating different green transportation modes and/or facilities (bike share, MUPs, public transit)? (2) To what extent does the built environment around people’s residential location affect their integration level of MUPs, bike share, and public transit? (3) Which improvements would most likely encourage people to integrate them more often? With descriptive statistics, spatial analysis, and statistical comparison, we found that (1) the major barrier to integrating MUPs into the green transportation system was their lack of connection and availability to transit and bike share; (2) a person’s living environment is spatially related to whether a person integrates bike share; and (3) more respondents would use MUPs more often if an integrated green transportation system could be provided or improved. These findings suggest the potential of incorporating MUPs and bike share into TOD strategies to address the FLM issue.
Haredi Fundamentalism in the State of Israel
Authors: Dödtmann Eik
Published: December 2022

Since its establishment in 1948, the State of Israel, which defines itself as Jewish-nation state, has been providing Haredi Jewry, also known as ultra-Orthodoxy, with a vast autonomy in education, enabling the development of a Jewish “Society of Learning Men.”

This goes back to the Status quo regulations, which blocks the separation of state and religion in the country. In this framework, Haredi Jewry, which was nearly extinct after the Shoah, has developed into a striving and confident fundamentalist religious Jewish movement. At the same time, it has become the demographically most dynamic Jewish current. The influence of Haredi Jewry in Israel is crucial, for its leadership and its members do consider their isolationist, counter-acculturative, anti-modern moulding as the only authentic and “pure” form of Judaism, and they actively combat liberal Jewish interpretations or denominations.

In this paper, a discussion about the definition of Haredism as fundamentalism will be provided. Furthermore, it will be argued that through the basic requirement of the Status quo between State and Jewish (orthodox) religion, the Haredi society’s attempt to organize itself as a cultural and communal autonomy has been highly successful also against the background of the societal restrictions of this effort given the dependant relationship that has developed between the Haredi community and general Israeli society. As illustrations for this case study, the educational autonomy, the Haredi judicial power over Jewish and non-Jewish citizens and the struggle over the Shabbat regulations will be examined.
Einleitung Sonderheft ZRGP zum Religionsmonitor 2017
Authors: El-Menouar Yasemin , Pickel Gert
Published: December 2022

Religion ist in Europa trotz aller nicht abstreitbarer Säkularisierungsbewegungen nicht verschwunden. Ein Grund hierfür ist die religiöse Pluralisierung, aber auch eine verstärkte öffentliche Diskussion um Religion. Der Religionsmonitor bietet bereits seit 2008 belastbare empirische Daten zur religiösen Entwicklung in Deutschland und Europa an. In der vorliegenden Special Section, deren Einleitung dieser Text ist, werden die religiösen Entwicklungen in Deutschland, Österreich, der Schweiz und auch im innereuropäischen Vergleich mit Daten des Religionsmonitors 2017 analysiert. Im Ergebnis finden sich Unterschiede, aber auch große Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen den Ländern. So fällt vor allem die noch immer große soziale Distanz zum Muslimen genauso auf, wie die zunehmende Normalität von Religionslosigkeit. Gleichzeitig ist die religiöse Landschaft in allen Untersuchungsländern bunter geworden.
Effects of Out-of-School STEM Learning Environments on Student Interest: a Critical Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Neher-Asylbekov Simone , Wagner Ingo
Published: December 2022

Inquiry-based out-of-school STEM learning environments, such as offerings from science centers, museums, and out-of-school laboratories, serve as an enrichment to classroom education in many countries. As there is an increasing number of such STEM learning environments in Germany and some other countries and a growing body of research worldwide, it is important to analyze their effects. In this context, student interest is a critical factor in determining the effectiveness of such learning opportunities and the quality of the educational outcomes achieved. Therefore, based on an international comprehensive, systematic literature review of 30 out of 1657 identified studies, various influencing factors that support or hinder interest development are highlighted. Results show that active participation, hands-on activities, and preparation for the visit have strong beneficial effects on interest experience. Out-of-school STEM learning environments are especially suitable for students with little prior knowledge, and they tend to promote interest in areas that are often relatively unpopular among adolescents, depending on their age and gender. The findings also highlight research deficits, particularly with respect to well-defined constructs of interest, and point to useful criteria that informal out-of-school learning environments can apply to promote various forms of interest and thus improve educational programs.
Thermal and ultrasound foam control in biotechnology: a mini-review
Authors: Khan Shahin Shah , Ullah Irfan , Wang Qingyun , Xu Haijun , Tiso Till , Blank Lars M. , Liu Luo
Published: December 2022

Gas, which is trapped in either solid or liquid pockets, results in foam formation. Foam formation is common in many industries, i.e., in detergents, food and beverage, cosmetics, and fire-fighting. Foam formation in excess causes biotechnology fermentation instabilities, including material loss and the danger of contaminating the fermentation and the environment. Many foam-controlling measures have been reported, including thermal, enzymatic, mechanical, ultrasound pretreatments, steam explosion, reducing digester mixing, and surface sludge spray. Using antifoaming agents for foam control in fermentation is the most common method, sometimes supported by mechanical foam breakers. However, antifoam can be costly and can complicate product purification. Indeed, effective foam control can significantly impact the economics of the whole process. This mini-review summarizes some unconventional foam destruction techniques, including their various challenges.
Phenols, antioxidant and anticancer properties of Tagetes minuta, Euphorbia granulata and Galinsoga parviflora: in vitro and in silico evaluation
Authors: Al-Robai Sami A. , Ahmed Abdelazim A. , Ahmed Aimun A. E. , Zabin Sami A. , Mohamed Haidar A. , Alghamdi Abdullah A. A.
Published: December 2022

This work aimed at assessing the phenolic content, antioxidant and cytotoxicity capacities of methanol extracts obtained fromTagetes minuta,Euphorbia granulataandGalinsoga parvifloramedicinal plants. Standard spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods were used for chemical analysis. Established antioxidant and cytotoxicity assays were adopted for biological activity assessment. In silico screening for the individual phenolic acids was performed using molecular docking techniques.E. granulatashowed a significantly high level of polyphenols. Highest level of flavonoid and tannin contents were detected inGalinsoga parviflora. Ten phenolic acids were identified and quantified via GC–MS in all extracts, and p-Hydroxybenzoic was the most dominant acid (70 µg/g) inT. minutawhile gallic was the predominant acid (73 µg/g) inE. granulata. Extracts showed higher reactive oxygen and nitrogen species scavenging activities and exhibited lower hydrogen peroxide inhibition values. The strongest cytotoxic activity was exhibited byT. minutaextract on A2780 cell line. The cytotoxic activity ofG. parvifloraextract was highly significant against all cancer cells. Extract ofE. granulatashowed best activity towards MCF7 and A2780 cell lines and was less active against HT29 cell line. In silico data revealed that caffeic acid had the lowest value of binding energy and high ligand efficiency ratios against the selected target receptors, comparable to the standards. Methanol extracts of the targeted plants showed promising antioxidant and anticancer activities which could be attributed to presence of different phenolic phytochemicals. Further work is required for determining the active compounds and their mode of action.