bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive neural event‐triggered control for nonlinear uncertain system with input constraint based on auxiliary system
Authors: Wang Jianhui , Chen Wenli , Ma Kemao , Liu Zhi , Philip Chen Chun Lung
Published: July 2021

This article is concerned with the issue of event‐triggered based adaptive tracking control for a class of nonlinear uncertain system with input hysteresis. The radial basis function of neural networks (RBFNNs) is utilized to compensate the uncertain parts, where approximation errors are combined into the approximation system. Then, consider such method may extend the developed the weight vector of RBFNNs' dimension, such that computing burdens are increased while the considered system is subjected to network resource constraint. Thus, an adaptive neural event‐triggered scheme is designed. Furthermore, aiming to compensate the hysteresis effect, an auxiliary system is incorporated into the control design process. In virtue of backstepping technique, an adaptive neural event‐triggered control approach is determined for the considered system, such that all close‐loop system signals boundedness is remaining bounded. Theoretical results are verified through the given simulation cases.
Photovoltaic Modules with the Look and Feel of a Stone Façade for Building Integration
Authors: Morlier Arnaud , Lim Bianca , Blankemeyer Susanne , Schulte-Huxel Henning , Witteck Robert , Daschinger Thomas , Bräunig Sonja , Köntges Marc , Brendel Rolf
Published: July 2021

The vast majority of photovoltaic (PV) modules feature a glass pane on the front side. Even specialized products for integration into building skins usually have the look and feel of (colored) glass panes. Herein, PV modules that have the look and feel of natural stone façades are presented. This is achieved by either replacing the front glass pane of PV modules with a stone veneer sheet or by laminating veneers of natural stones onto the front glass pane of PV modules, allowing retrofitting of standard PV modules. A wide variety of stones can be integrated in this way into PV modules. One‐cell PV modules are fabricated using 156 mm × 156 mm silicon solar cells and different stone veneers, and power conversion efficiencies up to 11.2% are achieved, compared to 20.7% for a control PV module. Large‐area demonstrator PV modules with a size of 1220 mm × 610 mm are also fabricated using 49 half‐cells that yield up to 8.5% efficiency. The impact of the inhomogeneity of the stone veneers on the performance of the PV modules is analyzed and measures are suggested to reduce the efficiency losses caused by the application of the stone veneers.
A cautionary note on the variance of empirical pair correlation function
Authors: Vondráček Jakub , Dvořák Jiří
Published: July 2021

Point processes are popular models for data consisting of a random configuration of points, such as positions of trees of a given species in a forest stand, locations of earthquakes' epicentres or positions of proteins in a cell membrane. Pair correlation function is a functional summary characteristic quantifying the interactions between pairs of points of the process at different distances. In practice, kernel estimators of the pair correlation function are mostly used, which require the user to choose the bandwidth of the smoothing kernel. When looking for the optimal bandwidth, higher order terms of the variance of the estimator are often neglected. We present the detailed formulas for the variance and argue that the higher order terms contribute the most to the variance and should not be ignored. Furthermore, we adapt a well‐known variance approximation formula to accommodate the popular translation edge correction factor. We compare the original and the adjusted approximation formula to the exact variance obtained by numerical integration and to the empirical variance obtained from simulated realizations. We conclude that the variance approximations do not perform well and that modern cross‐validation approaches to bandwidth selection should be preferred in practice.
DFOS measurements for strain analysis of anchorage zone in 57‐year‐old posttensioned precast girder using static and high‐frequency approach
Authors: Derkowski Wit , Sieńko Rafał , Walczak Rafał , Howiacki Tomasz , Bednarski Łukasz
Published: July 2021

The aging engineering infrastructure is a growing problem in many countries and thus a challenge to make optimal decisions for their further safe operation. Therefore, effective diagnostic solutions are being sought to enable a reliable assessment of their technical condition. The article presents the results of static and high‐frequency strain measurements of a 57‐year‐old posttensioned crane girder, dismantled from one of the production halls. In particular, the anchorage zone and transmission length of the tendon related to the quality of cement injection around the prestressing tendon were analyzed. For this purpose, a distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) technique was applied, which allows performing strain measurements with a spatial resolution starting from 2.6 mm (almost 385 measuring points per 1 m of the optical fiber). The application of such an approach allowed for detailed analysis in both longitudinal and transverse directions, including crack detection and estimation of their widths. The article describes in detail the sensing fibers and applied methodology, as well as the results of both static and high‐frequency tests performed under laboratory conditions during cutting one of the tendon's anchorage off.
Porosity and phase lags response of thick circular plate in modified couple stress thermoelastic medium
Authors: Kumar Rajneesh , Kaushal Sachin , Dahiya Vikram
Published: July 2021

The problem of thick circular plate in modified couple stress thermoelastic with voids (MCTV) is examined to study response of porosity, phase lags, one relaxation time and couple stress parameter. Governing equations are formulated for the new model and are solved by using Laplace and Hankel transform techniques. Normal load, thermal source and source over volume fraction field of voids (SVFV) of specific types are taken to solve the problem analytically. Numerical results are calculated for displacements, stresses, temperature change and volume fraction field. The comparisons are established to depict the effects of voids, phase lags, one relaxation time and couple stress parameter in form of graphs. Some particular cases are also deduced.
Efficient SMT-Based Analysis of Failure Propagation
Authors: Bozzano Marco , Cimatti Alessandro , Fernandes Pires Anthony , Griggio Alberto , Jonáš Martin , Kimberly Greg
Published: July 2021

The process of developing civil aircraft and their related systems includes multiple phases of Preliminary Safety Assessment (PSA). An objective of PSA is to link the classification of failure conditions and effects (produced in the functional hazard analysis phases) to appropriate safety requirements for elements in the aircraft architecture. A complete and correct preliminary safety assessment phase avoids potentially costly revisions to the design late in the design process. Hence, automated ways to support PSA are an important challenge in modern aircraft design. A modern approach to conducting PSAs is via the use of abstract propagation models, that are basically hyper-graphs where arcs model the dependency among components, e.g. how the degradation of one component may lead to the degraded or failed operation of another. Such models are used for computingfailure propagations: the fault of a component may have multiple ramifications within the system, causing the malfunction of several interconnected components. A central aspect of this problem is that of identifying the minimal fault combinations, also referred to asminimal cut sets, that cause overall failures.

In this paper we propose an expressive framework to model failure propagation, catering for multiple levels of degradation as well as cyclic and nondeterministic dependencies. We define a formal sequential semantics, and present an efficient SMT-based method for the analysis of failure propagation, able to enumerate cut sets that are minimal with respect to the order between levels of degradation. In contrast with the state of the art, the proposed approach is provably more expressive, and dramatically outperforms other systems when a comparison is possible.
ddSMT 2.0: Better Delta Debugging for the SMT-LIBv2 Language and Friends
Authors: Kremer Gereon , Niemetz Aina , Preiner Mathias
Published: July 2021

Erroneous behavior of verification back ends such as SMT solvers require effective and efficient techniques to identify, locate and fix failures of any kind. Manual analysis of large real-world inputs usually becomes infeasible due to the complex nature of these tools. Delta Debugging has emerged as a valuable technique to automatically reduce failure-inducing inputs while preserving the original erroneous behavior. We present , the successor of the delta debugger . is the current de-facto standard delta debugger for the SMT-LIBv2 language. Our tool improves and extends core concepts of and extends input language support to the entire family of SMT-LIBv2 language dialects. In addition to its ddmin-based main minimization strategy, it implements an alternative, orthogonal strategy based on hierarchical input minimization. We combine both strategies into a hybrid strategy and show that significantly improves over and other delta debugging tools for SMT-LIBv2 on real-world examples.
Diffy: Inductive Reasoning of Array Programs Using Difference Invariants
Authors: Chakraborty Supratik , Gupta Ashutosh , Unadkat Divyesh
Published: July 2021

We present a novel verification technique to prove properties of a class of array programs with a symbolic parameter N denoting the size of arrays. The technique relies on constructing two slightly different versions of the same program. It infers difference relations between the corresponding variables at key control points of the joint control-flow graph of the two program versions. The desired post-condition is then proved by inducting on the program parameter N, wherein the difference invariants are crucially used in the inductive step. This contrasts with classical techniques that rely on finding potentially complex loop invaraints for each loop in the program. Our synergistic combination of inductive reasoning and finding simple difference invariants helps prove properties of programs that cannot be proved even by the winner of Arrays sub-category in SV-COMP 2021. We have implemented a prototype tool called Diffy to demonstrate these ideas. We present results comparing the performance of Diffy with that of state-of-the-art tools.
Correction to: Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies in Animal Production Systems, Preparedness, Response and Recovery
Authors: Naletoski Ivancho , Luckins Anthony G. , Viljoen Gerrit
Published: July 2021

This book was inadvertently published with the incomplete affiliation of the Authors Ivancho Naletoski and Gerrit Viljoen, and the Foreword author Qu Liang. The correct affiliation is updated now as below:
Kleiss-Kuijf relations from momentum amplituhedron geometry
Authors: Damgaard David , Ferro Livia , Łukowski Tomasz , Moerman Robert
Published: July 2021

Abstract

In recent years, it has been understood that color-ordered scattering amplitudes can be encoded as logarithmic differential forms on positive geometries. In particular, amplitudes in maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in spinor helicity space are governed by the momentum amplituhedron. Due to the group-theoretic structure underlying color decompositions, color-ordered amplitudes enjoy various identities which relate different orderings. In this paper, we show how the Kleiss-Kuijf relations arise from the geometry of the momentum amplituhedron. We also show how similar relations can be realised for the kinematic associahedron, which is the positive geometry of bi-adjoint scalar cubic theory.
Parallelized label-free monitoring of cell adhesion on extracellular matrix proteins measured by single colour reflectometry
Authors: Hutterer Johanna , Proll Günther , Fechner Peter , Gauglitz Günter
Published: July 2021

The understanding of the initial cell adhesion to biomaterials is crucial for the survival of implants. The manifold possibilities to tailor an implant surface and the diverse requirements for different implant applications necessitate a timesaving and highly parallelized analytical methodology. Due to its intrinsic advantages (label-free, time-resolved, robust against temperature fluctuations, and particularly the multiplexing possibilities), single colour reflectometry (SCORE) is used for the first time to investigate cell adhesion to different extracellular matrix protein–coated surfaces. The excellent correlation between the novel SCORE technology and well-established reference methods proves that the results obtained by using this direct optical method are able to reflect the cell binding processes at the transducer surface. Additionally, the high time resolution of SCORE revealed the differences in the adhesion behaviour of the cells on the different extracellular matrix protein–coated glass slides during the initial adsorption phase and during the spreading of the cells on the surfaces. Therefore, we conclude that SCORE is a perfectly suited methodology for studying the entire cell adsorption process, including morphological changes, and shows great potential for other cell-based sensing applications.

Graphical abstract
One-Shot Randomized and Nonrandomized Partial Decoupling
Authors: Wakakuwa Eyuri , Nakata Yoshifumi
Published: July 2021

We introduce a task that we call partial decoupling, in which a bipartite quantum state is transformed by a unitary operation on one of the two subsystems and then is subject to the action of a quantum channel. We assume that the subsystem is decomposed into a direct-sum-product form, which often appears in the context of quantum information theory. The unitary is chosen at random from the set of unitaries having a simple form under the decomposition. The goal of the task is to make the final state, for typical choices of the unitary, close to the averaged final state over the unitaries. We consider a one-shot scenario, and derive upper and lower bounds on the average distance between the two states. The bounds are represented simply in terms of smooth conditional entropies of quantum states involving the initial state, the channel and the decomposition. Thereby we provide generalizations of the one-shot decoupling theorem. The obtained result would lead to further development of the decoupling approaches in quantum information theory and fundamental physics.
Serum concentrations of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and antiepileptics over the bariatric surgery procedure
Authors: Wallerstedt Susanna M. , Nylén Karin , Axelsson Magnus A. B.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

As a substantial proportion of bariatric surgery patients use psychotropic/antiepileptic drugs, we investigated the impact of this procedure on serum concentrations.

Methods

In a naturalistic, longitudinal, prospective case series, we compared dose-adjusted trough concentrations of antidepressants, antipsychotics, or antiepileptics in consecutive patients before and after bariatric surgery. Adherence to treatment over 2 weeks preceding each sampling was considered.

Results

In all, 85 participants were included (86% female, median age 45 years, median body mass index 42 kg/m2). They were being treated with 18 different psychotropic/antiepileptic drugs (7 substances: 6–17 individuals, 11 substances: 1–4 individuals) and contributed 237 samples over a median of 379 days after surgery. For four out of seven substances with pre-/post-surgery samples available from six or more individuals, the dose-adjusted concentration was reduced (sertraline: 51%, mirtazapine: 41%, duloxetine: 35%, citalopram: 19%). For sertraline and mirtazapine, the low-calorie-diet before surgery entirely explained this reduction. A consistent finding, irrespective of drug, was the association between the mean ratio of the post-/pre-diet dose-adjusted concentration and the lipophilicity of the drug (logD; correlation coefficient: −0.69, P = 0.0005), the low-calorie diet often affecting serum concentration more than the surgery itself.

Conclusions

Serum concentrations of psychotropic/antiepileptic drugs vary after bariatric surgery and can be hard to predict in individual patients, suggesting that therapeutic drug monitoring is of value. Conversely, effects of the pre-surgery, low-calorie diet appear generalizable, with decreased concentrations of highly lipophilic drugs and increased concentrations of highly hydrophilic drugs. Interaction effects (surgery/dose/concentration) were not evident but cannot be excluded.
Impact of 2016 Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Recommendations on Outcomes after Hepatectomy in Cirrhotic and Non‐Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Lunel Thibault , Mohkam Kayvan , Merle Philippe , Bonnet Aurélie , Gazon Mathieu , Dumont Paul‐Noël , Ducerf Christian , Mabrut Jean‐Yves , Lesurtel Mickaël
Published: July 2021

Background

The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) society published new recommendations for hepatectomy in 2016. Few studies have assessed their clinical impact. The aim of this monocentric study was to assess the impact of those guidelines on outcomes after liver surgery with a special focus on cirrhotic patients.

Method

Postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing hepatectomy 30 months before and after ERAS implementation according to the 2016 ERAS guidelines were compared after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Primary endpoint was 90‐day morbidity.

Results

From 2015 to 2020, 430 patients underwent hepatectomy including 226 procedures performed before and 204 after ERAS implementation. After IPTW, overall morbidity (42.5% vs. 64.7%, p < 0.001), Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) score (14.3 vs. 20.8, p = 0.004), length of stay (10.4 vs. 13.7 days, p = 0.001) and textbook outcome (50% vs. 40.2%, p = 0.022) were significantly improved in the ERAS group, while mortality and severe complications were similar in both groups. In the non‐cirrhosis subgroup (n = 321), these results were confirmed. However, in the cirrhosis subgroup (n = 105), no difference appeared on outcomes after hepatectomy with an overall morbidity (47.5% vs. 65.2%, p = 0.069) and a length of stay (8 vs. 9 days, p = 0.310) which were not significantly different. The compliance rate to ERAS guidelines was 60% in both cirrhotic and non‐cirrhotic subgroups.

Conclusion

Perioperative ERAS program for hepatectomy results in improved outcomes with decreased rate of non‐severe morbidity. Although those guidelines are not deleterious for cirrhotic patients, they probably require revisions to be more effective in this patient population.
Contemporary knee arthroplasty: one fits all or time for diversity?
Authors: Beckmann Johannes , Meier Malin Kristin , Benignus Christian , Hecker Andreas , Thienpont Emmanuel
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has historically been the preferred solution for any type of knee osteoarthritis, independently of the number of compartments involved. In these days of patient-specific medicine, mono-compartmental disease could also be approached with a more individualized treatment, such as partial knee arthroplasty (PKA). Off-the-shelf (OTS) implants are often the compromise of averages and means of a limited series of anatomical parameters retrieved from patients and the pressure of cost control by limited inventory. Personalized medicine requires respect and interest for the individual shape and alignment of each patient.

Materials and methods

A Pubmed and Google Scholar search were performed with the following terms: “patient-specific knee” and “arthroplasty” and “custom implant” and “total knee replacement” and “partial knee replacement” and “patellofemoral knee replacement” and “bicompartmental knee replacement”. The full text of 90 articles was used to write this narrative review.

Results

Unicondylar, patellofemoral and bicompartmental knee arthroplasty are successful treatment options, which can be considered over TKA for their bone and ligament sparing character and the superior functional outcome that can be obtained with resurfacing procedures. For TKA, where compromises dominate our choices, especially in patients with individual variations of their personal anatomy outside of the standard, a customized implant could be a preferable solution.

Conclusion

TKA might not be the only solution for every patient with knee osteoarthritis, if personalized medicine wants to be offered. Patient-specific mono-compartmental resurfacing solutions, such as partial knee arthroplasty, can be part of the treatment options proposed by the expert surgeon. Customized implants and personalized alignment options have the potential to further improve clinical outcome by identifying the individual morphotype and respecting the diversity of the surgical population.
EBF1 is expressed in pericytes and contributes to pericyte cell commitment
Authors: Pagani Francesca , Tratta Elisa , Dell’Era Patrizia , Cominelli Manuela , Poliani Pietro Luigi
Published: July 2021

Early B-cell factor-1 (EBF1) is a transcription factor with an important role in cell lineage specification and commitment during the early stage of cell maturation. Originally described during B-cell maturation, EBF1 was subsequently identified as a crucial molecule for proper cell fate commitment of mesenchymal stem cells into adipocytes, osteoblasts and muscle cells. In vessels, EBF1 expression and function have never been documented. Our data indicate that EBF1 is highly expressed in peri-endothelial cells in both tumor vessels and in physiological conditions. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis suggest that EBF1-expressing peri-endothelial cells represent bona fide pericytes and selectively express well-recognized markers employed in the identification of the pericyte phenotype (SMA, PDGFRβ, CD146, NG2). This observation was also confirmed in vitro in human placenta-derived pericytes and in human brain vascular pericytes (HBVP). Of note, in accord with the key role of EBF1 in the cell lineage commitment of mesenchymal stem cells, EBF1-silenced HBVP cells showed a significant reduction in PDGFRβ and CD146, but not CD90, a marker mostly associated with a prominent mesenchymal phenotype. Moreover, the expression levels of VEGF, angiopoietin-1, NG2 and TGF-β, cytokines produced by pericytes during angiogenesis and linked to their differentiation and activation, were also significantly reduced. Overall, the data suggest a functional role of EBF1 in the cell fate commitment toward the pericyte phenotype.
Porcine ovarian cortex-derived putative stem cells can differentiate into endothelial cells in vitro
Authors: Wartalski Kamil , Gorczyca Gabriela , Wiater Jerzy , Tabarowski Zbigniew , Duda Małgorzata
Published: July 2021

Endothelial cells (ECs), the primary component of the vasculature, play a crucial role in neovascularization. However, the number of endogenous ECs is inadequate for both experimental purposes and clinical applications. Porcine ovarian putative stem cells (poPSCs), although not pluripotent, are characterized by great plasticity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether poPSCs have the potential to differentiate into cells of endothelial lineage. poPSCs were immunomagnetically isolated from postnatal pig ovaries based on the presence of SSEA-4 protein. Expression of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) markers after pre-culture, both at the level of mRNA: ITGB1, THY, and ENG and corresponding protein: CD29, CD90, and CD105 were significantly higher compared to the control ovarian cortex cells. To differentiate poPSCs into ECs, inducing medium containing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), ascorbic acid, and heparin was applied. After 14 days, poPSC differentiation into ECs was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining for vascular endothelial cadherin (VECad) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Semi-quantitative WB analysis of these proteins confirmed their high abundance. Additionally, qRT-PCR showed that mRNA expression of corresponding marker genes: CDH5, KDR was significantly higher compared with undifferentiated poPSCs. Finally, EC functional status was confirmed by the migration test that revealed that they were capable of positive chemotaxis, while tube formation assay demonstrated their ability to develop capillary networks. In conclusion, our results provided evidence that poPSCs may constitute the MSC population in the ovary and confirmed that they might be a potential source of ECs for tissue engineering.
Quantitative chemical mapping of plagioclase as a tool for the interpretation of volcanic stratigraphy: an example from Saint Kitts, Lesser Antilles
Authors: Higgins Oliver , Sheldrake Tom , Caricchi Luca
Published: July 2021

Establishing a quantitative link between magmatic processes occurring at depth and volcanic eruption dynamics is essential to forecast the future behaviour of volcanoes, and to correctly interpret monitoring signals at active centres. Chemical zoning in minerals, which captures successive events or states within a magmatic system, can be exploited for such a purpose. However, to develop a quantitative understanding of magmatic systems requires an unbiased, reproducible method for characterising zoned crystals. We use image segmentation on thin section scale chemical maps to segment textural zones in plagioclase phenocrysts. These zones are then correlated throughout a stratigraphic sequence from Saint Kitts (Lesser Antilles), composed of a basal pyroclastic flow deposit and a series of fall deposits. Both segmented phenocrysts and unsegmented matrix plagioclase are chemically decoupled from whole rock geochemical trends, with the latter showing a systematic temporal progression towards less chemically evolved magma (more anorthitic plagioclase). By working on a stratigraphic sequence, it is possible to track the chemical and textural complexity of segmented plagioclase in time, in this case on the order of millennia. In doing so, we find a relationship between the number of crystal populations, deposit thickness and time. Thicker deposits contain a larger number of crystal populations, alongside an overall reduction in this number towards the top of the deposit. Our approach provides quantitative textural parameters for volcanic and plutonic rocks, including the ability to measure the amount of crystal fracturing. In combination with mineral chemistry, these parameters can strengthen the link between petrology and volcanology, paving the way towards a deeper understanding of the magmatic processes controlling eruptive dynamics.
Chlorophyll pigment and needle macronutrient responses and interactions to soil moisture and atmospheric CO2 treatments of eight pine and spruce species
Authors: Major John E. , Mosseler Alex
Published: July 2021

Key message

Large differences were detected between genera and among species in chlorophyll pigment and macronutrient concentrations. Pines have greater variances than spruces and showed less downregulation of chlorophyll pigment concentrations than spruces in response to eCO2 and DRT. There was strong genetic control of chlorophyll pigments and most macronutrients.

Chlorophyll pigment and needle macronutrient concentrations were quantified for eight tree species in two commercially important genera, Pinus and Picea grown in a 2 × 2 factorial of atmospheric CO2 (370 and 740 ppm) and soil moisture stress (− 0.1 to − 0.5 and − 0.7 to − 1.0 MPa) treatments. Four of the pines and three of the spruces are native to eastern North America, while a fourth spruce, Norway spruce (NS: Picea abies), is from Europe but has been widely used for reforestation in northeastern North America. Overall, spruces had significantly greater chlorophyll a, b, (CHLa, CHLb), and total chlorophyll concentration (TCC) and carotenoid concentration (CAR) than pines. Ambient CO2 (aCO2) had significantly greater TCC than in response to elevated CO2 (eCO2), and TCC and CAR was significantly downregulated more in spruces than in pines in response to eCO2. Pines had equal or greater TCC and CAR in response to drought treatment (DRT) than well-watered treatment, whereas spruces had significantly lower values in response to DRT. Needle N, P and Ca concentrations were greater for spruces than pines. Needle N concentrations declined in response to both eCO2 and DRT. Needle P increased in response to eCO2 but declined in response to DRT. Using total biomass as a covariate, needle N showed no response in pines; whereas spruces showed a slight positive response to increasing total biomass. Covariate analysis showed that TCC had a significant positive relationship to needle N and Mg, with greater TCC in spruces than in pines for a given needle N. Photosynthetic quantum efficiency (QE), derived from light response curves, had a significant positive relationship to TCC that was greater in pines than in spruces for a given TCC. Photosynthetic light convexity had a significant positive relationship to TCC that was also greater in pines than in spruces for a given TCC, indicating a sharper curvature compared to a more progressive curve for spruce. Pine species have greater variances than spruce species. While Pinus strobus (white pine, subgenus Strobus) stands out as having greater chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations than the other three pines (subgenus Pinus). Overall, pines showed less downregulation of chlorophyll pigment concentrations than spruces in response to eCO2 and DRT. There was strong genetic control for chlorophyll pigments and most macronutrients.
Hierarchie und Demokratie in Organisationen – Die 49-Punkte-Intervention
Authors: Radel J. , Schuster R. J.
Published: July 2021

Dieser Beitrag der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO) beschreibt eine auf gruppendynamischen Überlegungen beruhende Intervention, die im Rahmen der Lehre an Universitäten und Hochschulen eingesetzt werden kann. Ziel ist es, mittels Reflexion der Intervention Erkenntnisse über Organisationsdynamiken und -konflikte zu erlangen.

Universitäten und Hochschulen sind Institutionen, die Wissen vermitteln und Bildung und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung ermöglichen sollen. Dabei sind Lehrende und Studierende zueinander in eine hierarchische Beziehung gesetzt. Dies ist eine organisatorische Notwendigkeit, die aber auch, im Fall der Sozialwissenschaften, im Widerspruch zu einem gemeinsamen Erkunden sozialer Phänomene auf Augenhöhe steht. Lehrende und Studierende sind mit dem „Sei-selbstständig-Paradox“ konfrontiert. Studierende müssen gegebenen Vorgaben folgen, sich im normativen Rahmen bewegen, sollen sich jedoch gleichzeitig selbstständig und authentisch einbringen. Dies kann zu Konflikten führen, die aber oft nicht diskutiert werden. Damit verbleiben sie im System, was dazu führen kann, dass die Studierenden einem möglichen Double Bind ausgesetzt sind.

In diesem Beitrag wird aufgezeigt, wie Studierende im Rahmen einer von uns als49-Punkte-Interventionbezeichneten Methode die Möglichkeit bekommen, im Gegensatz zur üblichen hierarchischen Ordnung an der Gestaltung der eigenen Prüfung mitzuwirken. Dadurch werden übliche Grenzen aufgeweicht und institutionell gelöste Konflikte neu zur Diskussion gestellt. Es wird hier die Intervention kurz beschrieben, um dann potenzielle Konfliktdynamiken auf folgenden Ebenen aufzuzeigen: (a) intrapersonelle Ebene, (b) interpersonelle Ebene, (c) Ebene zwischen Studierenden und Dozenten, (d) Ebene der Sachzwänge des Systems, die sowohl Studierende als auch Dozenten betreffen
Correction to: The Fate of Mud Nourishment in Response to Short-Term Wind Forcing
Authors: Schulz Kirstin , Klingbeil Knut , Morys Claudia , Gerkema Theo
Published: July 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-021-00964-9
Methodology for the metaphysics of pregnancy
Authors: Finn Suki
Published: July 2021

One of the central questions in the metaphysics of pregnancy is this: Is the foetus a part of the mother? In this paper I aim not to answer this question, but rather to raise methodological concerns regarding how to approach answering it. I will outline how various areas attempt to answer whether the foetus is a part of the mother so as to demonstrate the methodological problems that each faces. My positive suggestion will be to adopt a method of reflective equilibrium. The aim of this is to ensure that pregnancy be included in the tribunal of experience that our theories are held up against such that our theories can accommodate what we say about pregnancy, whilst also ensuring that what we say about pregnancy be theoretically informed. That way, we rethink pregnancy in light of our theories as well as rethinking our theories in light of pregnancy.
How executive turnover influences the quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure? Moderating role of political embeddedness: evidence from China
Authors: Rauf Fawad , Voinea Cosmina L. , Roijakkers Nadine , Naveed Khwaja , Hashmi Hammad Bin Azam , Rani Tayyaba
Published: July 2021

This study investigated the relationship between executive turnover (ET) and quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) at the firm level. The role of political embeddedness (PE) in the association between ET and CSRD quality in Chinese listed A-share firms is also inspected. We employed 20,850 firm’s/year observations between 2010 and 2016. An inverse relationship was found between ET and CSRD quality as well as PE and CSRD quality. In addition, the study findings disclose that corporate PE moderates the relationship between ET and a firm’s CSRD quality whilst the impact of ET on a company's CSRD quality was found more pronounced for firms with a low level of corporate PE. This examination adds to the literature on CSRD quality under the premise of normative stakeholder theory and leads to the conclusion that the political link of departing executives is an active participant in the exacerbation of CSRD quality in PE firms of China. This implies a reinvigoration of the roles of decision-makers for sustainable CSR assurance.
Mixing rates for potentials of non-summable variations
Authors: GALLESCO CHRISTOPHE , TAKAHASHI DANIEL Y.
Published: July 2021

Mixing rates, relaxation rates, and decay of correlations for dynamics defined by potentials with summable variations are well understood, but little is known for non-summable variations. This paper exhibits upper bounds for these quantities for dynamics defined by potentials with square-summable variations. We obtain these bounds as corollaries of a new block coupling inequality between pairs of dynamics starting with different histories. As applications of our results, we prove a new weak invariance principle and a Hoeffding-type inequality.
Notes on the Hodge conjecture for Fermat varieties
Authors: da Silva Genival
Published: July 2021

We review a combinatoric approach to the Hodge conjecture for Fermat varieties and announce new cases where the conjecture is true. We show the Hodge conjecture for Fermat fourfolds

$ {X}_m^4 $

of degree m ≤ 100 coprime to 6, and also prove the conjecture for

$ {X}_{21}^n $

and

$ {X}_{27}^n $

, for all n.
Intranasal octenidine for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers and universal octenidine bathing reduced MRSA acquisition in an acute-care general ward
Authors: Aung Aung-Hein , Kyaw Win Mar , Heng Yee Kiat , Tey Hong Liang , Ang Brenda , Chow Angela
Published: July 2021

In this quasi-experimental before-and-after study in a methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) high-prevalence acute-care dermatology ward from August 2016 to November 2018, patients admitted during intervention period who received additional topical intranasal octenidine were 63% less likely to acquire MRSA than those receiving universal daily octenidine bathing alone during baseline period (aOR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.14–0.98).
FLEXIBLE SOIL MICROBIAL CARBON METABOLISM ACROSS AN ASIAN ELEVATION GRADIENT
Authors: Jiang Yishan , Zhang Dayi , Ostle Nicholas J , Luo Chunling , Wang Yan , Ding Ping , Cheng Zhineng , Shen Chengde , Zhang Gan
Published: July 2021

The function and change of global soil carbon (C) reserves in natural ecosystems are key regulators of future carbon-climate coupling. Microbes play a critical role in soil carbon cycling and yet there is poor understanding of their roles and C metabolism flexibility in many ecosystems. We wanted to determine whether vegetation type and climate zone influence soil microbial community composition (fungi and bacteria) and carbon resource preference. We used a biomarker (phospholipid fatty acids, PLFAs), natural abundance 13C and 14C probing approach to measure soil microbial composition and C resource use, along a 1900–4167-m elevation gradient on Mount Gongga (7556 m asl), China. Mount Gongga has a vertical mean annual temperature gradient of 1.2–10.1°C and a diversity of typical vegetation zones in the Tibetan Plateau. Soils were sampled at 10 locations along the gradient capturing distinct vegetation types and climate zones from lowland subtropical-forest to alpine-meadow. PLFA results showed that microbial communities were composed of 2.1–51.7% bacteria and 2.0–23.2% fungi across the elevation gradient. Microbial biomass was higher and the ratio of soil fungi to bacteria (F/B) was lower in forest soils compared to meadow soils. δ13C varied between −33‰ to −17‰ with C3 plant carbon sources dominant across the gradient. Soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover did not vary among three soils we measured from three forest types (i.e., evergreen broadleaved subtropical, mixed temperate, coniferous alpine) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) turnover decreased with soil elevation. Forest soil microbial PLFA 14C and δ13C measurements showed that forest type and climate were related to different microbial C use. The 14C values of microbial PLFAs i15, a15, 16:1, br17 decreased with elevation while those of C16:0, cyC17, and cyC19 did not show much difference among three forest ecosystems. Bacteria and bacillus represented by C16:1 and brC17 showed considerable microbial C metabolism flexibility and tended to use ancient carbon at higher altitudes. Anaerobes represented by cyC17 and cyC19 showed stronger C metabolism selectivity. Our findings reveal specific C source differences between and within soil microbial groups along elevation gradients.
Comparing intermediate-term hearing results of NiTiBOND and Nitinol prostheses in stapes surgery
Authors: Koukkoullis A , Gerlinger I , Kovács A , Szakács Z , Piski Z , Szanyi I , Tóth I , Révész P
Published: July 2021

Objective

To statistically analyse the hearing thresholds of two cohorts undergoing stapedotomy for otosclerosis with two different prostheses.

Method

A retrospective study was conducted comparing NiTiBOND (n = 53) and Nitinol (n = 38) prostheses.

Results

Average follow-up duration was 4.1 years for NiTiBOND and 4.4 years for Nitinol prostheses. The post-operative air–bone gap was 10 dB or less, indicating clinical success. The p-values for differences between (1) pre- and post-operative values in the NiTiBOND group, (2) pre- and post-operative values in the Nitinol group, (3) pre-operative values and (4) post-operative values in the two groups were: air–bone gap – p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.631 and p = 0.647; four-frequency bone conduction threshold – p = 0.076, p = 0.129, p < 0.001 and p = 0.005; four-frequency air conduction threshold – p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.043 and p = 0.041; three-frequency (1, 2 and 4 kHz) bone conduction threshold pre-operatively – p = 0.639, p = 0.495, p = 0.001 and p = 0.01; and air conduction threshold at 4 kHz: – p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.03 and p = 0.058.

Conclusion

Post-operative audiological outcomes for NiTiBOND and Nitinol were comparable.
Health technology assessment applied to emergency preparedness: a new perspective
Authors: Miglietta Alessandro , de Waure Chiara , Chronaki Catherine , Wild Claudia , Favaretti Carlo , Timen Aura , Edelstein Michael , Petelos Elena
Published: July 2021

Emergency preparedness is a continuous quality improvement process through which roles and responsibilities are defined to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from the impact of emergencies. This process results in documented plans that provide a backbone structure for developing the core capacities to address health threats. Nevertheless, several barriers can impair an effective preparedness planning, as it needs a 360° perspective to address each component according to the best evidence and practice. Preparedness planning shares common principles with health technology assessment (HTA) as both encompass a multidisciplinary and multistakeholder approach, follow an iterative cycle, adopt a 360° perspective on the impact of intervention measures, and conclude with decision-making support. Our “Perspective” illustrates how each HTA domain can address different component(s) of a preparedness plan that can indeed be seen as a container of multiple HTAs, which can then be used to populate the entire plan itself. This approach can allow one to overcome preparedness barriers, providing an independent, systematic, and robust tool to address the components and ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of their value in the mitigation of the impact of emergencies.
The historic city and the East–West exchange: architecture, urban renewal and international knowledge transfers under state socialism in Hungary
Authors: Szívós Erika
Published: July 2021

In recent years, the permeability of the Iron Curtain seems to have become a new paradigm in the field of post-war history – urban history included. It is clear, however, that significant differences existed among Eastern Bloc countries in terms of how open they were to Western influences, and to what extent their governments allowed those countries’ citizens – professionals among them – to gain experiences abroad. This article investigates the ways city planning and heritage policy in state socialist Hungary were influenced by international trends; it explores the roles Hungarian architects, urban planners and other experts played after 1956 in knowledge transfers, i.e. the transmission of novel ideas in the field of architecture and urban planning, with special regard to the renewal of inner-city areas and historic town centres. Besides reflecting critically on concepts of the strict East–West divide, the article also calls attention to the limits of freedom inherent even in a relatively liberal Eastern Bloc regime: various forms of state control – including state security surveillance – continued to characterize the system until its collapse in 1989, affecting the mobility of urbanists and architects as well as all other professional groups.
Focused Ion Beam Sample Preparation for In Situ Thermal and Electrical Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Radić Dražen , Peterlechner Martin , Bracht Hartmut
Published: July 2021

A focused ion beam (FIB) technique describing the preparation of specimens for in situ thermal and electrical transmission electron microscopy is presented in detail. The method can be applied to a wide range of materials and allows the sample to be thinned down to electron transparency while it is attached to the in situ chip. This offers the advantage that the specimen can have a quality in terms of contamination and damage due to the ion beam that is comparable to samples prepared by means of conventional FIB preparation. Additionally, our technique can be performed by most commercially available FIB devices and only requires three simple, custom stubs for the procedure. This should enable a large userbase for this type of sample fabrication. One further benefit of our technique is that the in situ chip can be reused to create another sample on the same chip. The quality of the samples is demonstrated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy as well as electron energy loss spectroscopy.
Estimating Geo‐Referenced Cloud‐Base Height With Whole‐Sky Imagers
Authors: Lyu Baolei , Chen Yang , Guan Yuqiu , Gao Tianlei , Liu Jun
Published: July 2021

Accurate and frequent cloud‐base height calculation is beneficial to solar farming and agricultural activities and also indicative for future meteorology conditions. This study used paired whole‐sky imagers to estimate cloud‐base height with high quality. The study obtained quality assured cloud base feature points with a robust Shi‐Tomasi‐Scale Invariant Feature Transform algorithm before employing double‐eye locating approach, which is fast and easy to implement operationally. The estimated cloud‐base heights have high spatial coverages. Evaluated against ceilometer observations, estimated cloud‐base heights have a high accuracy level, with R2 = 0.92 and RMSE = 424 m. The method is generally unbiased with NME = 9.2%. The high‐quality cloud‐base features in this study are quantitatively geo‐referenced, which would benefit a lot to meteorological studies such as fusion with satellite observations, evaluation for model simulations and upper‐level wind specifications.
Comment on “The Wave‐Driven Current in Coastal Canopies” by M. Abdolahpour et al.
Authors: Luhar Mitul
Published: July 2021

Laboratory and field measurements made over the past decade have shown the presence of a strong wave‐driven mean current in submerged vegetation canopies. Luhar et al. (2010, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010jc006345) suggested that this mean current is analogous to the streaming flow generated in wave boundary layers over bare beds, and developed a simple energy and momentum balance model to predict its magnitude. However, this model predicts that the magnitude of the mean current does not depend on canopy spatial density, which is inconsistent with the measurements made by Abdolahpour et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jc012446) in recent laboratory experiments. Motivated by observations that the wave‐driven mean flow is most pronounced at the canopy interface, Abdolahpour et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jc012446) proposed an alternate explanation for its origin: It is driven by the vertical heterogeneity in orbital motion created by canopy drag. Such heterogeneity can give rise to incomplete particle orbits near the canopy interface and a Lagrangian mean current analogous to Stokes drift in the direction of wave propagation. A model guided by this physical insight and dimensional analysis is able to generate much more accurate predictions. This comment aims to reconcile these two different models for the wave‐driven mean flow in submerged canopies.
Missing Earthquake Data Reconstruction in the Space‐Time‐Magnitude Domain
Authors: Stallone Angela , Falcone Giuseppe
Published: July 2021

Short term aftershock incompleteness (STAI) can strongly bias any analysis built on the assumption that seismic catalogs have a complete record of events. Despite several attempts to tackle this issue, we are far from trusting any data set in the immediate future of a large shock occurrence. Here, we introduce RESTORE (REal catalogs STOchastic REplenishment), a Python toolbox implementing a stochastic gap‐filling method, which automatically detects the STAI gaps and reconstructs the missing events in the space‐time‐magnitude domain. The algorithm is based on empirical earthquake properties and relies on a minimal number of assumptions about the data. Through a numerical test, we show that RESTORE returns an accurate estimation of the number of missed events and correctly reconstructs their magnitude, location, and occurrence time. We also conduct a real‐case test, by applying the algorithm to the 6.2 Amatrice aftershocks sequence. The STAI‐induced gaps are filled and missed earthquakes are restored in a way which is consistent with data. RESTORE, which is made freely available, is a powerful tool to tackle the STAI issue, and will hopefully help to implement more robust analyses for advancing operational earthquake forecasting and seismic hazard assessment.