bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Japanese data strategies, global surveillance capitalism, and the “LINE problem”
Authors: Kümmerle Harald
Published: April 2022

This paper situates data practices in Japan in a diffractive genealogy of surveillance capitalism. It puts data conceptualized in three ways into focus: real data, data in information banks, and data of the super app LINE. While technology embodying these concepts of data is mainly used in Asia, this technology is entangled with discourses and legislation in Europe and practices of U.S. American surveillance capitalism in important aspects. This article empirically traces these entanglements and demonstrates how discourses around data sovereignty, geopolitical shifts, historical background, global political and economic trends, and international policies intermingle in contemporary accounts of data and digital sovereignty in Japanese context. Decolonial theory is consulted in order to account for Japan’s recent past as a non-Western territorial empire and the privileged position that Japanese experts on data have in the drafting of international data policies.
Speculative Materialities, Indigenous Worldings and Decolonial Futures in Computing & Design
Authors: Klumbytė Goda , Britton Ren Loren , Laiti Outi , Prado de O. Martins Luiza , Snelting Femke , Ward Caroline
Published: April 2022

This intra-view follows a round-table discussion that took place during the New Materialist Informatics conference on 25 March 2021. The discussants – Indigenous researcher and game designer Outi Laiti, artists and researchers Luiza Prado de O. Martins, Femke Snelting and Caroline Ward – start with their own artistic, academic, and creative practices and discuss how these practices relate to otherwise-worldings in computing that engage materialist, anti-racist, decolonial, Indigenous, and trans*feminist thinking and doing. This discussion, facilitated by artist Ren Loren Britton and researcher Goda Klumbytė, brings up questions of collaboration and infrastructures needed to support otherwise practices in computing and design.
Generation of bright-dark soliton pairs based on a ferromagnetic insulator Cr2Si2Te6 as a modulator in an Er-doped fiber laser
Authors: Sui Zhiqi , Zhu Mingxiao , Chen Si , Yang Fuhao , Wang Yanjuan , Sun Shuo , Hong Zhifeng , Fan Weiyu , Zhang Wenfei , Zhang Huanian , Chen Xiaohan , Wang Guomei , Fu Shenggui
Published: April 2022

In this work, a saturable absorber (SA) based on

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(CST), with a modulation depth of 14.90% and saturation intensity of

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, was prepared by a liquid phase stripping method. Its nonlinear optical properties and application in obtaining mode-locked pulse output of bright-dark solitons are studied. When the pump power was 1250 mW, the maximum output power was 26.60 mW; the energy of the single pulse was 15.02 nJ, and the repetition rate was 1.77 MHz. Our results provided evidence that CST can be used as an excellent SA for a mode-locked laser and demonstrated that ferromagnetic insulators can be used for the study of bright-dark soliton pairs.
Polarization properties in grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs at mid-infrared frequencies
Authors: Cai Ming , Liu Hongxia , Wang Shulong , Wang Yindi , Wang Dong , Zhao Dongyan , Guo Wei
Published: April 2022

The plasmon resonances of grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs can occur in wide frequency regions at mid-infrared frequencies. However, the lack of polarization properties research in grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs prevents the application potential. In order to solve the problem, the polarization properties in grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs at mid-infrared frequencies were studied in the paper. After using the optical transfer matrix method to calculate the dispersion curves in grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs, the plasmon polaritons in conductive channel and phonon polaritons in GaN layer occur under TM incident waves rather than TE incident waves. The phenomenon illustrates the potential of polarization-selectivity has existed in grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs. To study the polarization properties of grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs in detail, the electric field distribution and transmission properties of the structure were simulated in COMSOL. The results show the excellent polarization-selectivity at mid-infrared frequencies in grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs. The studies of these characteristics indicate the vast potential for using grating-gated AlN/GaN HEMTs to design mid-infrared polarizers, mid-infrared polarization state modulators and other devices in the future.
Bayesian homodyne and heterodyne tomography
Authors: Chapman Joseph C. , Lukens Joseph M. , Qi Bing , Pooser Raphael C. , Peters Nicholas A.
Published: April 2022

Continuous-variable (CV) photonic states are of increasing interest in quantum information science, bolstered by features such as deterministic resource state generation and error correction via bosonic codes. Data-efficient characterization methods will prove critical in the fine-tuning and maturation of such CV quantum technology. Although Bayesian inference offers appealing properties—including uncertainty quantification and optimality in mean-squared error—Bayesian methods have yet to be demonstrated for the tomography of arbitrary CV states. Here we introduce a complete Bayesian quantum state tomography workflow capable of inferring generic CV states measured by homodyne or heterodyne detection, with no assumption of Gaussianity. As examples, we demonstrate our approach on experimental coherent, thermal, and cat state data, obtaining excellent agreement between our Bayesian estimates and theoretical predictions. Our approach lays the groundwork for Bayesian estimation of highly complex CV quantum states in emerging quantum photonic platforms, such as quantum communications networks and sensors.
2021 Optical Materials Express Emerging Researcher Best Paper Prize: editorial
Authors: Alù Andrea , Hu Juejun
Published: April 2022

Optical Materials Express Editor-in-Chief, Andrea Alù, Deputy Editor, Juejun Hu, and the members of the 2021 Emerging Researcher Best Paper prize committee announce the recipient of the 2021 prize for the best paper published by an emerging researcher in the Journal.
Poisson disk sampling with randomized satellite points for projected texture stereo
Authors: Takeda Jun , Fukushima Norishige
Published: April 2022

A stereo camera is fundamental for 3D sensing. We can only use simple stereo algorithms for real-time applications; however, it has low accuracy. Adding texture by projection is a solution to the problem. The system is called projected texture stereo. Projecting light patterns is essential and deeply related to the matching algorithm in the system. This article proposes a projected pattern and a new texture stereo camera system with a suitable stereo matching algorithm. Experimental results show that our system is superior to Intel RealSense, the commercially successful projected texture stereo camera.
Quantum violation of local causality in an urban network using hybrid photonic technologies
Authors: Carvacho Gonzalo , Roccia Emanuele , Valeri Mauro , Basset Francesco Basso , Poderini Davide , Pardo Claudio , Polino Emanuele , Carosini Lorenzo , Rota Michele B. , Neuwirth Julia , Covre da Silva Saimon F. , Rastelli Armando , Spagnolo Nicolò , Chaves Rafael , Trotta Rinaldo , Sciarrino Fabio
Published: April 2022

Quantum networks play a crucial role in distributed quantum information processing, enabling the establishment of entanglement and quantum communication among distant nodes. Fundamentally, networks with independent sources allow for new forms of nonlocality, beyond the paradigmatic Bell’s theorem. Here we implement the simplest of such networks—the bilocality scenario—in an urban network connecting different buildings with a fully scalable and hybrid approach. Two independent sources using different technologies—a quantum dot and a nonlinear crystal—are used to share a photonic entangled state among three nodes connected through a 270 m free-space channel and fiber links. By violating a suitable nonlinear Bell inequality, we demonstrate the nonlocal behavior of the correlations among the nodes of the network. Our results pave the way towards the realization of more complex networks and the implementation of quantum communication protocols in an urban environment, leveraging the capabilities of hybrid photonic technologies.
High-performance modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode integrated on a thin-film lithium niobate platform
Authors: Guo Xiangwen , Shao Linbo , He Lingyan , Luke Kevin , Morgan Jesse , Sun Keye , Gao Junyi , Tzu Ta-Ching , Shen Yang , Chen Dekang , Guo Bingtian , Yu Fengxin , Yu Qianhuan , Jafari Masoud , Lončar Marko , Zhang Mian , Beling Andreas
Published: April 2022

Lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) has become an intriguing platform for integrated photonics for applications in communications, microwave photonics, and computing. Whereas, integrated devices including modulators, resonators, and lasers with high performance have been recently realized on the LNOI platform, high-speed photodetectors, an essential building block in photonic integrated circuits, have not been demonstrated on LNOI yet. Here, we demonstrate for the first time, heterogeneously integrated modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes on LNOI with a record-high bandwidth of 80 GHz and a responsivity of 0.6 A/W at a 1550-nm wavelength. The photodiodes are based on an n-down InGaAs/InP epitaxial layer structure that was optimized for high carrier transit time-limited bandwidth. Photodiode integration was achieved using a scalable wafer die bonding approach that is fully compatible with the LNOI platform.
Internet of things–Enabled technologies as an intervention for childhood obesity: A systematic review
Authors: Lam Ching , Milne-Ives Madison , Harrington Richard , Jani Anant , Helena van Velthoven Michelle , Harding Tracey , Meinert Edward
Published: April 2022

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century, with consequences lasting into adulthood. Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices have been studied and deployed for monitoring and tracking diet and physical activity of children and adolescents as well as a means of providing remote, ongoing support to children and their families. This review aimed to identify and understand current advances in the feasibility, system designs, and effectiveness of IoT-enabled devices to support weight management in children. We searched Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest Central and the IEEE Xplore Digital Library for studies published after 2010 using a combination of keywords and subject headings related to health activity tracking, weight management, youth and Internet of Things. The screening process and risk of bias assessment were conducted in accordance with a previously published protocol. Quantitative analysis was conducted for IoT-architecture related findings and qualitative analysis was conducted for effectiveness-related measures. Twenty-three full studies are included in this systematic review. The most used devices were smartphone/mobile apps (78.3%) and physical activity data (65.2%) from accelerometers (56.5%) were the most commonly tracked data. Only one study embarked on machine learning and deep learning methods in the service layer. Adherence to IoT-based approaches was low but game-based IoT solutions have shown better effectiveness and could play a pivotal role in childhood obesity interventions. Researcher-reported effectiveness measures vary greatly amongst studies, highlighting the importance for improved development and use of standardised digital health evaluation frameworks.
Evoked and transmitted culture models: Using bayesian methods to infer the evolution of cultural traits in history
Authors: Hyafil Alexandre , Baumard Nicolas
Published: April 2022

A central question in behavioral and social sciences is understanding to what extent cultural traits are inherited from previous generations, transmitted from adjacent populations or produced in response to changes in socioeconomic and ecological conditions. As quantitative diachronic databases recording the evolution of cultural artifacts over many generations are becoming more common, there is a need for appropriate data-driven methods to approach this question. Here we present a new Bayesian method to infer the dynamics of cultural traits in a diachronic dataset. Our method called Evoked-Transmitted Cultural model (ETC) relies on fitting a latent-state model where a cultural trait is a latent variable which guides the production of the cultural artifacts observed in the database. The dynamics of this cultural trait may depend on the value of the cultural traits present in previous generations and in adjacent populations (transmitted culture) and/or on ecological factors (evoked culture). We show how ETC models can be fitted to quantitative diachronic or synchronic datasets, using the Expectation-Maximization algorithm, enabling estimating the relative contribution of vertical transmission, horizontal transmission and evoked component in shaping cultural traits. The method also allows to reconstruct the dynamics of cultural traits in different regions. We tested the performance of the method on synthetic data for two variants of the method (for binary or continuous traits). We found that both variants allow reliable estimates of parameters guiding cultural evolution, and that they outperform purely phylogenetic tools that ignore horizontal transmission and ecological factors. Overall, our method opens new possibilities to reconstruct how culture is shaped from quantitative data, with possible application in cultural history, cultural anthropology, archaeology, historical linguistics and behavioral ecology.
Riding the wave into wellbeing: A qualitative evaluation of surf therapy for individuals living with acquired brain injury
Authors: Gibbs Katie , Wilkie Lowri , Jarman Jack , Barker-Smith Abigail , Kemp Andrew H. , Fisher Zoe
Published: April 2022

Nature has long demonstrated the capacity to facilitate wellbeing. Interventions involving the natural environment such as surf therapy, are increasingly being used to facilitate aspects of wellbeing in clinical populations. However, explorations of how nature-based interventions such as surf therapy may be used to promote wellbeing in the context of neurorehabilitation are missing from the peer-reviewed literature. Here we characterize the experience of a five-week surfing intervention involving fifteen adults living with the psycho-social and cognitive sequelae of acquired brain injury. Insights were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, which highlighted the importance of seven overarching themes, including: 1) Connection to Nature, 2) Facilitating Trust and Safety, 3) Managing and Accepting Difficult Emotions, 4) Facilitating Positive Emotion, Meaning and Purpose, 5) Building Community through Social Connection, and 6) Positive Change. Barriers and opportunities (theme 7) were also identified as components on which clinical services may be improved. We present a theoretical model for the benefits of surf therapy in people living with acquired brain injury (ABI) based on these themes and reflections on findings from the wider literature. Findings emphasise the importance of leveraging community partnerships to augment the holistic model of neurorehabilitation and potential implications for service redesign are discussed, focusing on recent developments in wellbeing science.
Participants with mildly-disabling chronic neck pain perform differently during explicit compared to implicit motor learning of a reaching task
Authors: Brown Michael R. , Personius Kirkwood E. , Langan Jeanne
Published: April 2022

Chronic musculoskeletal (CMSK) pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders like low back pain or neck pain are the leading causes of disability. While CMSK pain has the potential to negatively influence motor learning, there is limited research to understand the impact of CMSK on motor learning. In order to examine differences in motor learning between individuals with and without CMSK we modified a serial reaction time task to assess motor learning of a repetitive reaching task. The paradigm was used to assess both explicit and implicit motor learning. In a cross-sectional study design, seventeen participants with chronic neck pain (CNP) (5 males) and 21 controls (8 males) were recruited. In addition, physical, cognitive, sensorimotor, disability and pain assessments were used to examine differences between individuals with and without CNP. All participants with CNP were categorized as having mild disability. There was no difference in cognitive assessments and minimal differences in physical measures between groups. Examining motor learning, groups with and without CNP demonstrated similar outcomes in both explicit and implicit motor learning. There was one notable performance difference between groups in the reaching task, the group with CNP demonstrated slower reaching movements outward and inward during blocks without explicit information. This may suggest a cautious approach to movement with reduced explicit information. Findings from this study provide insight on motor learning in individuals with mildly-disabling CNP, further research is necessary to examine how instruction can impact peak performance in people with CMSK pain.
Application of tight-fitting half-facepiece breath-response powered air-purifying respirator for internal body cooling in occupational environment
Authors: Sekoguchi Shingo , Ando Hajime , Ikegami Kazunori , Yoshitake Hidetaka , Nagano Chikage , Ogami Akira
Published: April 2022

In dust-generating scenarios in occupational environments, it is important to take measures to prevent not only pneumoconiosis, but also heatstroke. The aim of this study was to verify whether using a tight-fitting half-facepiece breath-response powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) in combination with a self-produced cooling device could abate the deep body temperature while performing activities. We conducted a crossover study involving 10 subjects. The subjects were subjected to three conditions: wearing a PAPR equipped with a cooling device, PAPR, or a replaceable particulate respirator. During the experiment, the rectal temperature of the subjects was measured, along with the temperature near the PAPR inlet in container with the cooling device when the PAPR equipped with the cooling device was worn. The subjects rested in a cold chamber set at a dry-bulb temperature of 28°C and relative humidity of 45% for 20 min. Then, they moved to a hot chamber set to a dry-bulb temperature of 36°C (with the same relative humidity) in 5 min and exercised on a cycle ergometer for 30 min. After that, the subjects moved to the cold chamber for 5 min and rested for 20 min. Notably, the air inhaled by the subjects wearing PAPR equipped with the cooling device was approximately 10°C cooler than the ambient air. Furthermore, 35 min after the initiation of the experiment (after the middle of the exercise period), the rectal temperature of the participants wearing the PAPR equipped with the cooling device was lower than of those wearing PAPR or replaceable particulate respirators (p <0.05). Thus, we could deduce that the self-produced cooling device was useful in abating deep body temperature. PAPR is useful for its potential applications in hot occupational environments and can save lives in working environments where heat stress can result in major medical complications.
Clustering of fast gyrotactic particles in low-Reynolds-number flow
Authors: Almerol Jenny Lynn Ongue , Liponhay Marissa Pastor
Published: April 2022

Systems of particles in turbulent flows exhibit clustering where particles form patches in certain regions of space. Previous studies have shown that motile particles accumulate inside the vortices and in downwelling regions, while light and heavy non-motile particles accumulate inside and outside the vortices, respectively. While strong clustering is generated in regions of high vorticity, clustering of motile particles is still observed in fluid flows where vortices are short-lived. In this study, we investigate the clustering of fast swimming particles in a low-Reynolds-number turbulent flow and characterize the probability distributions of particle speed and acceleration and their influence on particle clustering. We simulate gyrotactic swimming particles in a cubic system with homogeneous and isotropic turbulent flow. Here, the swimming velocity explored is relatively faster than what has been explored in other reports. The fluid flow is produced by conducting a direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equation. In contrast with the previous results, our results show that swimming particles can accumulate outside the vortices, and clustering is dictated by the swimming number and is invariant with the stability number. We have also found that highly clustered particles are sufficiently characterized by their acceleration, where the increase in the acceleration frequency distribution of the most clustered particles suggests a direct influence of acceleration on clustering. Furthermore, the acceleration of the most clustered particles resides in acceleration values where a cross-over in the acceleration PDFs are observed, an indicator that particle acceleration generates clustering. Our findings on motile particles clustering can be applied to understanding the behavior of faster natural or artificial swimmers.
Should you become a leader in online collaborative learning? Impact of assigned leadership on learning behaviors, outcomes, and perceptions
Authors: Luo Heng , Han Xu , Chen Ying , Nie Yanjiao
Published: April 2022

The growing prevalence of collaborative learning spaces in higher education highlights the importance of student leadership for group learning. Thus, leadership assignment as a common practice in online collaborative learning merits special attention. To investigate the impact of assigned leadership and its key characteristics in promoting team learning in the online context, a semester-long quasi-experiment was conducted with 94 students in a graduate-level blended course. The results revealed significant differences between assigned leaders and group members in certain participating behaviors. However, the impact of assigned leadership on learning outcomes and perceptions was insubstantial. Additionally, student leaders’ academic achievement was found to have little impact on group members’ learning behaviors and learning outcomes, and mixed results were reported regarding the influence of leader behaviors on group performance. The research findings can inform the crucial decision of leader selection and extend our understanding of leadership in online collaborative learning.
Estimating the differences in Caesarean section (C-section) rates between public and privately insured mothers in Florida: A decomposition approach
Authors: Puro Neeraj , Kelly Reena J. , Bodas Mandar , Feyereisen Scott
Published: April 2022

Background

Caesarean section (C-sections) is a medically critical and often life-saving procedure for prevention of childbirth complications. However, there are reports of its overuse, especially in women covered by private insurance as compared to public insurance. This study evaluates the difference in C-Section rates among nulliparous women in Florida hospitals across insurance groups and quantifies the contribution of maternal and hospital factors in explaining the difference in rates.

Methods

We used Florida’s inpatient data provided by the Florida Agency for HealthCare Administration (FLAHCA) and focused on low-risk births that occurred between January 1, 2010, and September 30, 2015. A Fairlie decomposition method was performed on cross-sectional data to decompose the difference in C-Section rates between insurance groups into the proportion explained versus unexplained by the differences in observable maternal and hospital factors.

Results

Of the 386,612 NTSV low-risk births, 72,984 were delivered via C-Section (18.87%). Higher prevalence of C-section at maternal level was associated with diabetes, hypertension, and the expectant mother being over 35 years old. Higher prevalence of C-section at the hospital level was associated with lower occupancy rate, presence of neonatal ICU (NICU) unit and higher obstetrics care level in the hospital. Private insurance coverage in expectant mothers is associated with C-section rates that were 4.4 percentage points higher as compared to that of public insurance. Just over 33.7% of the 4.4 percentage point difference in C-section rates between the two insurance groups can be accounted for by maternal and hospital factors.

Conclusions

The study identifies that the prevalence of C-sections in expectant mothers covered by private insurance is higher compared to mothers covered by public insurance. Although, majority of the difference in C-Section rates across insurance groups remains unexplained (around 66.3%), the main contributor that explains the other 33.7% is advancing maternal age and socioeconomic status of the expectant mother. Further investigation to explore additional factors that explain the difference needs to be done if United States wants to target specific policies to lower overall C-Section rate.
Digital black hole: Undeclared internet policy in Pakistan’s Pashtun periphery
Authors: Ashraf Syed Irfan , Khan Azmat
Published: April 2022

Due to the State’s militarized policies in the war-torn Pashtun areas (ex-FATA) bordering Afghanistan, the Pakistan government’s undeclared internet policy in this region has become an obstacle in the way of both exercising the freedom of expression and the attainment of digital access as a basic human right. This is in line with the colonial legacy of keeping this area a buffer-zone, strategically rendering it an information black hole. But the criminalization of digital freedom has also triggered local protests for media-making rights. Based on interviews with ‘tribal’ students, and using critical discourse analysis in combination with Achille Mbembe’s concept of necropolitics, we examine how the Pakistani State denies the tribal students their digital rights resulting in the loss of their time and the consequences of this collective loss. We found that the local frustration could not be limited to the lack of internet. Entailing an element of passive defiance, the tribal students are deserting their ancestral land to reclaim their bodies from the goliath of the State, hampering its necro behemoth that is using them as a complicit body in a disabled space.
The effect of mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium gel on burn wound healing in rat
Authors: Laksmitawati Dian Ratih , Noor Siti Umrah , Sumiyati Yati , Hartanto Adrian , Widowati Wahyu , Pratami Diah Kartika
Published: April 2022

Background and Aim: Stem cells are cells that can proliferate to form a new tissue, leading to its use in regenerative therapy. Stem cells will secrete biological factors, such as growth factors, cytokines, and other proteins to their surroundings and culture medium/conditioned medium (CM), altering tissue physiology. These factors can help wound healing, but their effect on third-degree burns is poorly understood. This research aimed to study the activity of mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium gel in healing and repairing third-degree burns on rats skin.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-four Sprague–Dawley rats with burn wounds on the dorsal area were divided into four groups; the first group was treated with CM gel, with a concentration equivalent to 0.05% protein, the second group was treated with a placebo gel, the third group with silver sulfadiazine (SSD) cream (SSD-Burnazin contain 10 mg/g SSD), and the fourth group was not given any treatment, for 21 days, and on the final day, the rats were sacrificed, and the skins were taken. All topical treatments completely cover the wound area.

Results: Wound healing process indicators observed include wound diameter, scabs' formation, blister formation, and hair growth every day. The skins taken were processed with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The indicators studied include neutrophil infiltration, mononuclear cell infiltration, neovascularization, collagen area, and re-epithelization ratio.

Conclusion: CM shows better wound healing than other groups and faster hair growth.
Application Of Self-Organizing Neural Networks For The Delineation of Excess Water Areas
Authors: Szántó Gábor , Mucsi László , Van Leeuwen Boudewijn
Published: April 2022

In recent times Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are more and more widely applied. The ANN is an information processing system consisting of numerous simple processing units (neurons) that are arranged in layers and have weighted connections to each other. In the present study the possible application of an unsupervised neural network model, the self-organizing map (SOM), for the delineation of excess water areas have been examined. By means of the self-organizing map high-dimensional data of large databases could be mapped to a low-dimensional data space. Within a data set, it is able to develop homogeneous clusters, thus it can be effectively applied for the classification of multispectral satellite images. The classification was carried out for an area of 88 km2 to the south of Hódmezővásárhely situated in the south-eastern part of Hungary, which is frequently inundated by excess water. As input data, the intensity values of the pixels measured in six bands of a Landsat ETM image taken on 23rd April 2000 were used. To perform the classification, three different sized neural network models were created, which classified the pixels of the satellite image to 9, 12 and 16 clusters. By using the gained clusters three thematic maps were created, on which different types of excess water areas were delineated. During the validation of the results it was concluded that the applied neural network model is suitable for the delimitation of excess water areas and it could be an alternative to the traditional classification methods.
Measuring industry digital transformation with a composite indicator: A case study of the utility industry
Authors: Yakymova Larysa , Novotná Andrea , Kuz Vasyl , Tamándl László
Published: April 2022

Climate change, urban sprawl, a global pandemic, and the general trend of digitizing economies are driving the need for digital transformation of utilities. Policymakers of industry digital transformation need some aggregated metric that captures the essence of this multidimensional concept, identifies the pros and cons of current policies, and guides future directions based on cross-country benchmarking. This study develops the Industry Digital Transformation Index for the utility industry (IDTIu) as a composite indicator. IDTIu provides an aggregate score for the digital transformation of the national utility industry based on 31 indicators grouped into 8 sub-indices. IDTIu scores were calculated for 34 European countries based on 2020 data. To avoid the methodological challenges of equal weighting and expert assessments, we applied the original Benefit-of-the-Doubt (BoD) model and its two extensions for the proportion and priority of sub- indices. Our results show that (i) the full flexibility of the original BoD model leads to the expected deficiencies in ranking leaders and assigning zeros to insignificant sub-indices; (ii) BoD model with ordinal sub-index share restrictions does not allow ranking of laggards when IoT, AI, and BDA are ranked as top 3 priorities. Therefore, at the current stage of the digital transformation of utilities, we recommend the BoD model with proportional sub-index share restrictions.
Hungarian forint FX swap spreads during and beyond crisis times
Authors: Novák Zsuzsanna , Sereg Nikolett
Published: April 2022

Incentivised by a wide range of research discussing mispricing in USD related swap markets, the paper aims at discovering the factors contributing to the deviation of the 3-month FX swap points in the EURHUF and USDHUF market from their CIP based values primarily between the period January 2008 and December 2018 and with an extension to the end of 2021 using daily and monthly Bloomberg quotes. The period examined can be divided into three plus one subperiods as concerns FX swap spreads, largely determined by the effects of the global financial crisis and the volume of FX loans. Apart from the most important classes of variables explaining FX swap spreads, counterparty, funding and market liquidity risk indicators, the literature identifies, policy variables were also involved in the analysis. During and in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, the MNB applied various kinds of FX swap tenders to ease FX liquidity tensions in the Hungarian interbank market, and continued providing such operations even after the conversion of household FX loans to domestic currency. The results of VARX estimations suggest that indicators of market and liquidity tension, counterparty risk mostly positively contributed to the widening of FX swap spreads, in addition, policy intervention had a spread dampening impact throughout most of the period. The paper confirms that central bank FX swap market participation can mitigate mispricing especially in turbulent times.
The kernel-based comprehensive aggregation PROMETHEE (PROMETHEE-KerCA) method for multi-criteria decision making with application to policy modelling
Authors: Balezentis Tomas
Published: April 2022

As the economic and technological problems become more complex and require effective multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) tools for analysis thereof, there is a need for comprehensive MCDM techniques that would be capable to ensure robust optimization with minimum arbitrary assumptions. This paper proposes a new method for MCDM – the Kernel-based Comprehensive Aggregation PROMETHEE (PROMETHEE-KerCA). The proposed approach relies on the kernel density estimation which provides the bandwidths for scaling the differences in the performance of the alternatives. The kernel-based distances are aggregated to establish the performance measures thus following the principle of the outranking. Then, the measures of performance are aggregated in four different manners (additive, multiplicative, minimum and maximum values) to construct the comprehensive overall utility score. The proposed method does not require choosing the preference functions or parameters thereof. The empirical illustration is provided to show the feasibility of the proposed approach. The European Union Member States are ranked by the means of the KerCA method with regards to the objectives of the strategy Europe 2020. The isolated and pooled ranking allows comparing the progress of the countries compared with their initial situation and compared to the other countries in the sample.
DIREITOS HUMANOS, DIFERENÇAS E EDUCAÇÃO
Authors: Siqueira Fernandes Yrama , Ferrão Candau Vera Maria
Published: April 2022

A situação dos Direitos Humanos atravessa especialmente no nosso país, um momento particularmente complexo e controvertido. Tendências conservadoras e antidemocráticas fragilizam sua afirmação na sociedade, especialmente no que se refere aos direitos de sujeitos e grupos socioculturais considerados diferentes do ponto de vista de suas características étnico-raciais, de gênero, orientação sexual, religiosas, entre outras. O presente trabalho pretende discutir as principais relações entre Direitos Humanos, diferenças e educação. Aborda as implicações sociopolíticas, assim como aprofunda a tensão igualdade-diferença e os desafios que esta tensão apresenta para o cotidiano escolar. Analisa também a perspectiva da educação em Direitos Humanos, tendo em vista o tema da diferença a importância do empoderamento neste contexto. Tem por base resultados de pesquisas realizadas pelo grupo de estudos sobre Cotidiano, Educação e Culturas (GECEC), vinculado ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da PUC-Rio. Defende que a articulação entre igualdade e diferença constitui o núcleo central de uma educação democrática que reconheça e promova o empoderamento dos diferentes sujeitos socioculturais, particularmente dos inferiorizados e subalternizados.
EDUCAÇÃO EM DIREITOS HUMANOS CONTEMPLADA NOS PROJETOS POLÍTICO-PEDAGÓGICOS DOS CENTROS DE INTERNAÇÃO DA FUNDAÇÃO CASA
Authors: Zanelli Silva Fava Carolina , Klein Ana Maria
Published: April 2022

O trabalho aborda a Educação em Direitos Humanos (EDH) no contexto das instituições que abrigam adolescentes que cumprem medida socioeducativa de internação na Fundação CASA, no estado de São Paulo. O objetivo é identificar conteúdos, valores e práticas convergentes com a EDH presentes nos Projetos Políticos Pedagógicos (PPPs) da Fundação CASA. A abordagem do problema é qualitativa e seu objetivo é exploratório. Os procedimentos técnicos adotados são a pesquisa documental e bibliográfica. Os documentos analisados são: PPPs dos Centros de Internação da Fundação CASA, Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA), Sistema Nacional de Atendimento Socioeducativo (SINASE), Plano Nacional de Educação em Direitos Humanos, Programa Nacional de Direitos Humanos 3 e Diretrizes Nacionais de Educação em Direitos Humanos. Foram analisados 2 PPPs, amostra por conveniência, por meio de uma matriz elaborada a partir de indicações e recomendações dos documentos referência citados. Os resultados revelaram que as expressões Direitos Humanos e Educação em Direitos Humanos aparecem explicitamente poucas vezes nos documentos analisados e as menções aos conteúdos, valores e práticas da EDH são praticamente inexistentes.
PROCESSOS DE EDUCAÇÃO POPULAR DAS JUVENTUDES NEGRAS E PERIFÉRICAS
Authors: Da Conceição Silva Lúcia Isabel , Alves Cordeiro Paula Maíra , Martins Evangelista Júnior Jorge
Published: April 2022

O debate sobre as juventudes negras e periféricas vem se impondo no cenário acadêmico e político, com variado número de produções sobre violências diversas, racismos, exclusões e desigualdades, e sobre processos de organização, de arte, cultura e outros gestados por jovens, como estratégias importantes de viver as periferias, denunciar e lutar por direitos. Compreender estes processos é fundamental para pensar o papel dos jovens no enfrentamento de desigualdades e opressões estruturais, cidadania e defesa da democracia. Este artigo visa contribuir com o debate analisando o significado dos cursinhos populares como uma proposta de educação popular e organização política das/com as juventudes, assumindo a luta pelo direito à educação e suas relações com as lutas por outros direitos. A metodologia é um estudo de caso da Rede Emancipa Belém de Educação Popular, um projeto de extensão UFPA articulado à Rede Nacional Emancipa. O projeto atua com sete unidades em bairros periféricos, envolvendo, aproximadamente 100 estudantes de graduação e 400 jovens que se preparam para o Enem. Discutem-se os princípios e estratégias da proposta com base no pensamento freireano e as percepções dos jovens envolvidos/as sobre suas condições de vida, direitos e expectativas e o papel do cursinho. Os dados são oriundos de documentos, rodas de conversas, formulários aplicados e observação participante. Os resultados mostram a vulnerabilidade dos jovens, suas expectativas sobre a educação e sua contribuição e sentidos de oportunidade e inserção social. Conclui-se que as estratégias do projeto têm importância na construção da consciência coletiva e politização das desigualdades e violações e também na construção de sentidos de luta e de valores coletivos da liberdade, solidariedade, mobilização, igualdade, direito, justiça social etc., demonstrando o potencial do trabalho na formação política das juventudes.
DIFERENCIA Y DIFERENCIAS
Authors: Rodino Ana María
Published: April 2022

Este ensayo examina el concepto de diferencia en dos temas importantes de la teoría de los derechos humanos que a su vez influyen en la educación en derechos humanos porque son centrales para el ejercicio y defensa de los derechos en la vida cotidiana. En primer lugar, se analiza la tensión entre dos parejas de rasgos opuestas que están presentes en la relación entre individuo, sociedad y especie: Semejanza VERSUS Diferencia, y su complemento Unidad VERSUS Diversidad. La teoría de los derechos humanos construye entre ellas una relación dialéctica que conduce a dos conceptos fundamentales de la teoría: el de persona o sujeto de derecho y el de la organización social más apta para favorecer su desarrollo y sus derechos, la democracia. En segundo lugar, se discute la diferencia como noción plural, en el sentido de identificar distintas clases de diferencias entre las personas, en particular las diferencias legítimas de las ilegítimas. Ellas difieren por su origen y valor en la defensa de los derechos humanos y reclaman actitudes y conductas muy distintas: las diferencias legítimas, comprensión y tolerancia; las ilegítimas, rechazo y combate. El texto profundiza en el fenómeno que se produce cuando no se comprenden las diferencias legítimas entre personas, lo que conduce al mal omnipresente de la discriminación, causa de la negación de sus derechos humanos a muchos colectivos sociales.
Draft federal clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency
Authors: Dedov I. I. , Mel’nichenko G. A. , Mokrysheva N. G. , Pigarova E. A. , Povaliaeva A. A. , Rozhinskaya L. Ya. , Belaya Zh. E. , Dzeranova L. K. , Karonova T. L. , Suplotova L. A. , Troshina E. А.
Published: April 2022

This draft clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of vitamin D deficiency is an update from a previous 2016 document. An analysis of the relevant literature data was carried out, with particular attention to meta-­analyzes, randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews published over the past 5 years. The updated recommendations were discussed and revised by the leading endocrinologists of the Russian Federation, who have expert status in this issue.

The classification of 25(OH)D levels has been revised (in particular, the target range of 25(OH)D values has been specified), recommendations have been developed for screening of the disorders associated with vitamin D deficiency. The concept of vitamin D-associated toxicity and recommendations for its diagnosis and prevention have been introduced. Also, indications for the assessment of other vitamin D metabolites besides 25(OH)D, the main marker of vitamin D status, have been indicated.

The section regarding treatment of vitamin D deficiency has been expanded and corrected. The major additions concerned the replenishment of the vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in certain categories of patients (particularly, in the presence of the chronic kidney disease and autoimmune diseases, as well as in pregnant women) and monitoring of the effectiveness and safety of the therapy. The indications for prescribing active metabolites of vitamin D have been adjusted. Recommendations for the prevention of vitamin D deficiency in the general population have also been revised, taking into account large randomized clinical trials, meta-analyzes and systematic reviews of recent years.

This publication is an expanded version of the federal guidelines.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines (Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Sinopharm) Using Iraqi Local Samples
Authors: Al-Khazrajy Drgam Flah Ismael , Raddam Qussay Nouri
Published: April 2022

Subject: The current study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the three approved vaccines in Iraq (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm). By detecting the IgG and IgM antibody to the first subunit of the structural spike protein (S1), which is responsible for binding the virus to the angiotensin-converting enzyme receptor (ACE-2) on the surfaces of most cells of the body. Object: Study include 44 samples which were divided into four groups of samples. Each group had (11) samples. The first group of people consisted of those who had received both the first and second dose of Pfizer vaccine after 30 or more days the second group of people who had received the first and second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine after 30 or more days, the third group of people who had received the first and second dose of Sinopharm vaccine after 30 days or more, and the control group Which included people recovering from COVId-19 disease, all samples were collected from of Baghdad city-Iraq. Result: The results indicated the superiority of the Pfizer vaccine over the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines when compared with the control group, The average Pfizer vaccine concentration was (106.8 ± 16.2), while the AstraZeneca vaccine showed a weak superiority with an average concentration of (79.65 ± 14.33) compared to the control group, for which the average concentration of IgG-S1 was (64.55 ± 14.6). While the concentration of the Sinopharm vaccine was (70.94 ± 8.77), it did not show a significant difference compared to the control group. Conclusion: Our result showed that all vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm) used in this study were able to stimulate the production of antibodies against (SARA0COV2), and the Pfizer vaccine was the most effective and immunization.
Weak solutions for fractionalp(x,·)-Laplacian Dirichlet problems with weight
Authors: Ait Hammou Mustapha
Published: April 2022

The main purpose of this paper is to show the existence of weak solutions for a problem involving the fractionalp⁢(x,⋅){p(x,\cdot\,)}-Laplacian operator of the following form:

{(-Δp⁢(x,⋅))s⁢u⁢(x)+w⁢(x)⁢|u|p¯⁢(x)-2⁢u=λ⁢f⁢(x,u)in ⁢Ω,u=0in ⁢ℝN∖Ω,\left\{\begin{aligned} \displaystyle(-\Delta_{p(x,\cdot\,)})^{s}u(x)+w(x)% \lvert u\rvert^{\bar{p}(x)-2}u&\displaystyle=\lambda f(x,u)&&\displaystyle% \phantom{}\text{in }\Omega,\\ \displaystyle u&\displaystyle=0&&\displaystyle\phantom{}\text{in }\mathbb{R}^{% N}\setminus\Omega,\end{aligned}\right.

The main tool used for this purpose is the Berkovits topological degree.
Organisations-IDs in Deutschland – Ergebnisse einer Bestandsaufnahme im Jahr 2020
Authors: Vierkant Paul , Schrader Antonia , Pampel Heinz
Published: April 2022

Ein Persistent Identifier (PID) für wissenschaftliche Organisationen wie Forschungseinrichtungen oder Forschungsförderorganisationen ist ein weiteres entscheidendes Puzzlestück zur Förderung der Standardisierung im wissenschaftlichen Publikationsprozess – insbesondere im Hinblick auf den bereits etablierten Digital Object Identifier (DOI) für wissenschaftliche Werke und der ORCID-ID für wissenschaftliche Autor*innen. Die Anwendung dieser PIDs ermöglicht automatisierte Datenflüsse und garantiert die dauerhafte Verknüpfung von Informationsobjekten. Darüber hinaus sind PIDs elementare Bestandteile zur Umsetzung von Open Science. So kommt z. B. der Anwendung eines PID für wissenschaftliche Organisationen bei der Analyse von Publikationen und Kosten der Open-Access-Transformation an einer Einrichtung eine zentrale Bedeutung zu. Um mehr über den Status quo der Nutzung und Verbreitung von Organisations-IDs in Deutschland zu erfahren, wurde im Rahmen des DFG-geförderten Projekts ORCID DE im Zeitraum vom 13.07.2020 bis zum 04.12.2020 eine „Umfrage zum Bedarf und Nutzung von Organisations-IDs an Hochschulen und außeruniversitären Forschungseinrichtungen in Deutschland“ unter 548 wissenschaftlichen Einrichtungen in Deutschland durchgeführt. An der bislang größten Befragung zu Organisations-IDs in Deutschland beteiligten sich 183 Einrichtungen. Bestandteil der Studie waren unter anderem Fragen zur Kenntnis, Verbreitung und Nutzung von Organisations-IDs an wissenschaftlichen Einrichtungen. Darüber hinaus wurden Anforderungen an Organisations-IDs bzw. ihre Metadaten (z. B. Relationen und Granularität) erfragt. Der vorliegende Beitrag bietet einen umfassenden Überblick über die Ergebnisse der im Rahmen des Projekts durchgeführten Umfrage und stellt einen Beitrag zur Förderung und zu einer gesteigerten Bekanntheit von Organisations-IDs dar.