bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An outbreak of tuberculosis in endangered northern pig‐tailed macaques (Macaca leonina) and milu deer (Elaphurus davidianus) from a zoo in China
Authors: Chen Yingyu , Yan Yu , Gao Yanhong , Li Yurui , Zhang Kailun , Zhou Min , Sun Liang , Wang Yu , Robertson Ian Duncan , Guo Aizhen
Published: January 2023

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease that affects humans and domesticated and wild animals. Animals in zoos are potentially an important source of TB for humans; however they are often neglected in routine disease surveillance programs. This investigation reports an outbreak of TB in milu deer and northern pig‐tailed macaques in a zoo in Wuhan, China, which highlighted the need for improved prevention and control of TB in China.

Methods

Between 24 November and 9 December 2020 two milu deer and a northern pig‐tailed macaque that were displaying signs of wasting died. Post‐mortem, histopathological diagnosis and acid fast staining were used for the dead animals. Multiple PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) was performed to identify the bacterial in both milu deer and northern pig‐tailed macaque. The serum antibody iELISA for MTBC was then performed for all the surviving milu deer and northern pig‐tailed macaques. Six seropositive milu deer and a seropositive northern pig‐tailed macaque were subsequently euthanised and, along with two other dead milu deer, necropsied. DNA from these tissue samples was extracted and detected MTBC using PCR and Real‐time PCR. Subsequently bacterial isolation was used to confirm the infection.

Results

The lungs of the dead animals displayed gross and histological TB‐like lesions and changes, and red staining bacilli were detected in smears of the lesions by microscopy after acid fast staining. Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) was detected in the two milu deer and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) in the northern pig‐tailed macaque using multiple PCR for MTBC. 35.3% surviving milu deer and 50% surviving northern pig‐tailed macaques MTBC serologically positive. Six of the euthanised milu deer were also positive on a DNA test for M. bovis and the euthanised northern pig‐tailed macaque was positive to M. tb.

Conclusions

This is the first report of tuberculosis in the endangered species, milu deer and northern pig‐tailed macaques, in China, and warrants urgent attention by researchers and conservation authorities. These cases highlight the need for expanding surveillance for MTBC to zoos in China.
Management of severe hypothermia and pulsus alternans in an anaesthetised cat
Authors: McMillan Matthew
Published: January 2023

An 8‐year‐old, domestic, shorthair cat was presented for management of a significant degloving injury. After initial wound management, the cat was scheduled for anaesthesia to allow a free skin and pad graft to the affected foot. During anaesthesia, temperature rapidly dropped to a nidus of 28.0°C. Associated with this, the cat developed bradycardia and a marked pulsus alternans. The presumed ventricular myocardial dysfunction was treated with pimobendan (0.15 mg/kg intravenously). Within 5 minutes, the pulses equalised in amplitude. Additional active rewarming measures were initiated, which raised the temperature to 36.4°C before recovery in an incubator. A urinary catheter was placed to monitor for cold diuresis, and fluid therapy was altered to match urine output for 12 hours. A post‐anaesthetic echocardiogram revealed mild left ventricular concentric hypertrophy and dynamic right ventricular outflow tract obstruction indicating mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The cat was discharged following 3 weeks of successful intensive wound and graft management.
Legacy
Authors: Goss W. M. , Hooker Claire , Ekers Ronald D.
Published: January 2023

A scientist’s legacy is modest: a set of publications, almost certainly doomed to become quickly outdated, or forgotten and lost, assumed to be largely irrelevant, with their number—as Pawsey’s career shows—but a poor indicator of actual contribution to science. And this modest legacy is deeply valuable. As the editors of the Proc IRE Australia wrote:
Ionospheric Research, 1895–1935
Authors: Goss W. M. , Hooker Claire , Ekers Ronald D.
Published: January 2023

Pawsey’s initial foray into research was concerned with an area of applied science –investigations into how “atmospherics” (electrical disturbances in the atmosphere) and ionospheric turbulence affected radio communications. In this chapter we explore the general intellectual background to this science. We return to our account of Pawsey’s development in Chap. 6.
Introduction: Aim and Outline of the Book Series “Progress in Landslide Research and Technology”
Authors: Sassa Kyoji , Mikoš Matjaž
Published: January 2023

The Kyoto 2020 Commitment for Global Promotion of Understanding and Reducing Landslide Disaster Risk (Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020: KLC2020) was launched on 5 November 2020 by the adoption of 2020 Kyoto Declaration in the end of the launching session of the Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020. The KLC2020 was signed by 90 worldwide partners. On 3 November 2021, during the 5th World Landslide Forum (WLF5) held in a hybrid mode (onsite, online-virtual, and pre-recorded modes) in Kyoto, Japan, the ICL and the KLC2020 partners launched the new open-access book series “Progress in Landslide Research and Technology” to promote the Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020 for global promotion of understanding and reducing landslide disaster risk. This article introduces the aim and outline of the new book series “Progress in Landslide Research and Technology.”
Application of Spectral Element Method (SEM) in Slope Instability Analysis
Authors: Tiwari Ram Chandra , Bhandary Netra Prakash
Published: January 2023

Spectral element framework for slope instability analysis includes Spectral Element Method (SEM) formulation, system requirements for serial and parallel computations, model preparation with hexahedral meshing in Cubit or Trelis, meshing and mapping technique (h- and p-refinement techniques) according to SEM, applying boundary conditions for 2D and 3D, defining inputs for material model, ground water table, seismic loading as well as processing and visualizing the results in Tecplot and ParaView. Within this framework, the safety factor in slope stability is computed and visualized with greater spectral accuracy and stability.
Early Warning System Against Rainfall-Induced Landslide in Sri Lanka
Authors: Konagai Kazuo , Karunawardena Asiri , Bandara Kithsiri N. , Sassa Kyoji , Onishi Ryo , Uzuoka Ryosuke , Asano Shiho , Sasahara Katsuo , Jayakody Sanchitha , Ariyarathna Imaya
Published: January 2023

Based on solid evidence, scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-twentieth century to the human expansion of the “greenhouse effect.” Extreme rainfall events have become more frequent worldwide, resulting in hydro-meteorological hazards creating more deaths and devastation. One of the most remarkable disasters of rain-induced rapid long-traveling landslides (RRLL) in Sri Lanka took place at Aranayake, 70 km east of Colombo, in 2016 (JICA Survey Team (2016), Survey results of Aranayake Disaster, JICA. URL:https://www.jica.go.jp/srilanka/english/office/topics/c8h0vm00006ufwhl-att/160720.pdf[Last accessed: April 14, 2020]). The fluidized landslide mass ran over an about 2 km distance claiming the lives of 125 people. This tragic event highlighted the importance of reliable early warning and disaster management mechanisms even more than ever because the presence of these hidden unstable soil masses, as well as their run-out distances, are hardly predicted. Once they start sliding, it is almost impossible to stop them. Since 2020 (after the preceding period of 2019), both the National Building Research Organization, Sri Lanka (NBRO) and the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) have jointly started a new 5-year research project, “Development of early warning technology of Rain-induced Rapid and Long-travelling Landslides (Project RRLL),” within the framework of SATREPS. SATREPS, standing for “Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development,” is a Japanese government program promoting international joint research. This article reports on the outline of the project, including its background, goals, plans of plots for developing critical technologies for the early warning system, etc.
IPL Project 202: Landslide Monitoring Best Practices for Climate-Resilient Railway Transportation Corridors in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Huntley David , Bobrowsky Peter , MacLeod Roger , Rotheram-Clarke Drew , Cocking Robert , Joseph Jamel , Holmes Jessica , Sattler Kevin , Chambers Jonathan , Meldrum Philip , Wilkinson Paul , Donohue Shane , Elwood David
Published: January 2023

The paper outlines landslide mapping and change-detection monitoring protocols based on the successes of ICL-IPL Project 202 in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. In this region, ice sheets, glaciers, permafrost, rivers and oceans, high relief, and biogeoclimatic characteristics contribute to produce distinctive landslide assemblages. Bedrock and drift-covered slopes along the transportation corridors are prone to mass-wasting when favourable conditions exist. In high-relief mountainous areas, rapidly moving landslides include rock and debris avalanches, rock and debris falls, debris flows and torrents, and lahars. In areas with moderate to low relief, rapid to slow mass movements include rockslides and slumps, debris or earth slides and slumps, and earth flows. Slow-moving landslides include rock glaciers, rock and soil creep, solifluction, and lateral spreads in bedrock and surficial deposits. Research in the Thompson River Valley aims to gain a better understanding of how geological conditions, extreme weather events and climate change influence landslide activity along the national railway corridor. Remote sensing datasets, consolidated in a geographic information system, capture the spatial relationships between landslide distribution and specific terrain features, at-risk infrastructure, and the environmental conditions expected to correlate with landslide incidence and magnitude. Reliable real-time monitoring solutions for critical railway infrastructure (e.g., ballast, tracks, retaining walls, tunnels and bridges) able to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of Canada are highlighted. The provision of fundamental geoscience and baseline geospatial monitoring allows stakeholders to develop robust risk tolerance, remediation, and mitigation strategies to maintain the resilience and accessibility of critical transportation infrastructure, while also protecting the natural environment, community stakeholders, and the Canadian economy. We conclude by proposing a best-practice solution involving three levels of investigation to describe the form and function of the wide range of rapid and slow-moving landslides occurring across Canada, which is also applicable elsewhere.
Landslide Disasters Caused by the 2018 Eastern Iburi Earthquake in Hokkaido Japan and the Countermeasures to Completely Prevent the Similar Disasters in the Future
Authors: Wang Fawu , Nam Kounghoon
Published: January 2023

The catastrophic 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake triggered thousands of shallow liquefied landslides in pyroclastic fall deposits one day after the passage of Typhoon Jebi. The landslides were highly mobile and had long runouts. This study reports novel findings pertaining to distinctive properties of the widely distributed, weathered Plinian Ta-d tephra deposit from Tarumae volcano and their impact on the spatial clustering of the Iburi landslides. Distribution of the landslides is positively correlated with the spatial distribution of the Ta-d tephra. Liquefaction occurred in the weathered Ta-d pumice that has lower soil strength than other local pumice units, despite the absence of unconfined groundwater. The volumetric soil moisture content of weathered Ta-d pumice is very high (> 90%) and exceeds other soil layers, regardless of precipitation variation. The presence of hydrated halloysite was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The halloysite enhances the shaking-triggered liquefaction because it maintains weathered Ta-d pumice in a highly saturated and exceedingly loose state, even in the absence of unconfined groundwater.
Landslide Travel Distances in Colombia from National Landslide Database Analysis
Authors: Moncayo Steven , Ávila Guillermo
Published: January 2023

The analysis of landslide processes and consequent damages constitutes an important aspect in risk assessment. The potential reach zones of a landslide can be estimated by analyzing the behavior of past events under particular geological, geomorphological, and climatic conditions. Although landslide risk models have been developed for temperate zones, little information is available for tropical countries, so empirical equations are used without validation. In this study, a dataset comprising characteristic parameters for 123 landslides from the Andean region of Colombia was compiled from the digital inventory of the Colombian Geological Survey Mass Movement Information System (SIMMA). Empirical landslide travel-distance models were developed using simple and multiple regression techniques. The results revealed that the volume of the displaced mass, the slope angle, the maximum landslide height, and geomorphological environment were the predominant factors controlling the landslides travel distances in the study area. Similarly, a strong correlation was found between the planimetric area and landslide volume, validating the model of Iverson et al. (1998) (Iverson et al., in Geol Soc Am Bull 110:972–984, 1998). The proposed models show a reasonable fit between the observed and predicted values, and exhibited higher prediction capacity than other models in the literature. An example of application of the prediction equations developed here illustrates the procedure to delineate landslide hazard zones for different exceedance probabilities.
International Programme on Landslides—A Short Overview of Its Historical Development
Authors: Mikoš Matjaž , Sassa Kyoji , Han Qunli
Published: January 2023

The International Programme on Landslides (IPL) was launched in 2002 by the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) to reduce landslide disaster risk, and in 2006 developed into a global cooperation programme by international organizations supporting ICL activities. Ever since, it is successfully managed by the Global Promotion Committee, consisting of the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) members and representatives from the ICL supporting organizations. The article reviews the main IPL activities, i.e. IPL projects, triennial World Landslide Forums (WLF), World Centres of Excellence (WCoE) on Landslide Risk Reduction, and more. The article ends with an updated list of WCoEs 2008–2023 and IPL projects since 2002.
Understanding and Reducing the Disaster Risk of Landslide-Induced Tsunamis: Outcome of the Panel Discussion and the World Tsunami Awareness Day Special Event of the Fifth World Landslide Forum
Authors: Sassa Shinji , Grilli Stephan T. , Tappin David R. , Sassa Kyoji , Karnawati Dwikorita , Gusiakov Viacheslav K. , Løvholt Finn
Published: January 2023

Landslide-induced tsunamis are one of the most important cascading multi-hazard risks in light of landslide disasters. During the Fifth World Landslide Forum, a World Tsunami Awareness Day Special Event was held in hybrid mode on 5 November 2021. This article presents the outcome of the panel discussion organized across America, Europe, and Asia, as well as a review of the special event for understanding and reducing the disaster risk of landslide-induced tsunamis.
Application of Global Satellite Positioning and Automatic Monitoring in Slopeland Disaster Prevention
Authors: Hoang Thanh-Van , Chou Tien-Yin , Fang Yao-Min , Wang Chun-Tse , Tsai Ming Chang , Nguyen Quoc Dinh , Nguyen Quoc Huy , Bui Quang Thanh , Nguyen Quoc Tuan
Published: January 2023

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is satellite-based, with receiving equipment worldwide utilizing geographic positioning satellites in Earth orbit. The system is unaffected by the radio positioning system, so it provides highly accurate three-dimensional positioning, velocity, and time data to users. In this paper, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, central Taiwan, is selected to test an automatic real-time monitoring system comprising of one machine with multiple GPS antennas. To this end, the Alishan Public Works Section installed advanced measuring instruments and a landslide-monitoring system composed of a high-efficiency transmission system. A pre- and post-rainfall data survey was conducted on this slope section. Together with the rainfall records, real-time ground-slip monitoring data was collected, and subsequently analyzed to understand the disaster situation and ground slip characteristics of the Alishan Highway following an earthquake (1998). In the future, more effective management values will be set to reduce the loss of slope disasters to conserve land and public safety. For the first time in Taiwan, this paper presents displacement data indicating that after the typhoon rains, a maximum surface movement velocity of 2.5 cm every six days is attained, while the total displacement per month is as high as 10 cm. These data can be used as for the remediation of this section of the Alishan Highway.
Review of the Founding Issue of P-LRT: Progress in Landslide Research and Technology
Authors: Sassa Shinji
Published: January 2023

This article presents an overview and a concise review of the founding issue of Progress in Landslide Research and Technology (P-LRT). The Vol. 1, No. 1 issue of P-LRT was comprised of a total of twenty-four articles from twenty-five countries/regions worldwide. The inaugural issue embodies recent progress in landslide research and technology for practical applications and the benefit for the society contributing to the Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020 for a global promotion of understanding and reducing landslide disaster risk.
Key Techniques of Prevention and Control for Reservoir Landslides Based on Evolutionary Process
Authors: Tang Huiming , Wang Liangqing , Li Changdong , Zou Zongxing
Published: January 2023

The essence of reservoir landslide treatment is to change its evolution process. It is hard to guarantee the effectiveness and safety of the landslide prevention and control technology that ignores the evolution processes. Guided by the thought of evolution, this study introduced some key techniques of reservoir landslide prevention and control. Seven evolution modes are summarized for rock slides and the optimal control measures suitable for each evolution mode and different evolution stages are suggested. The dynamic stability evaluation method is proposed considering the evolution process of the slip zone soil strength. This study introduces the methods for determining optimal pile positions for step-shaped sliding surfaces, the optimal plane arrangement of stabilizing piles, and their reasonable embedded lengths. Finally, two demonstration bases for comprehensive prevention and control of large reservoir landslides that were established in the Three Gorges Reservoir area (TGRA) were introduced, which is of great scientific and application value to the improvement of reservoir landslide prevention and control techniques.
The Anthropogenic Aggravation of Landslide Disasters in Bangladesh: Key Informants’ Perspectives
Authors: Ahmed Bayes , Arfanul Alam S. M. R. , Ahmed Imtiaz , Sammonds Peter
Published: January 2023

Landslide disasters in Bangladesh’s Chittagong hill districts (CHD) put lives, livelihood, and the ecosystem at risk. Therefore, understanding the causes of landslide events in CHD is crucial to preparing and implementing disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies. The causes of landslides are generally seen through the lenses of physical science. However, to better understand the landslide disaster mechanism, it is essential to explore the human activities that trigger and aggravate the events. This article uses qualitative social science tools and techniques to investigate CHD’s anthropogenic-induced landslide disasters. Forty key informants from diverse professions, ethnicities, communities, and backgrounds were interviewed between 9 June and 3 November 2020. The recorded interviews were translated, transcribed, and thematically analysed in NVivo software. The results show that human-induced landslides in CHD evolve around three broader areas: demography, climate change, and lack of coordination and regulation. First, increased population, hill cutting, deforestation, manipulated agricultural practices, and sand and stone extraction is the leading anthropogenic activities of landslides in CHD. Second, the influx of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh significantly increased landslide vulnerability. Third, climate change-induced erratic rainfall is leading to more rainfall-induced landslides. Finally, a lack of coordination and regulations among various institutions hinders the DRR process. The short, medium- and long-term recommendations include stopping illegal hill cutting and deforestation, regulating heavy vehicles, increasing coordination, institutionalising early warning systems, conducting massive awareness campaigns, conducting further research, addressing challenges such as lightning, climate migration and conflict, and creating a master plan exclusive for the entire region and coming up with a political consensus for better implementation of the plan.
Suffosion Landslides as a Specific Type of Slope Deformations in the European Part of Russia
Authors: Zerkal Oleg V. , Barykina Olga S.
Published: January 2023

Landslide classification systems are based on the analysis of mechanisms of slope deformation and consideration of landslide-forming earth materials. The main types of landslide movement are fall, topple, slide, spread and flow. Within the European part of Russia, a specific type of slope deformation is often observed, where suffosion (the process of washout and mechanical removal of fine particles from saturated soils under the influence of infiltrating groundwater flow) plays an essential role. Suffosion landslides are defined as a type of complex landslide formed in regions characterized by alternating horizons of unsaturated and saturated sands, loams and clays. Such hydrogeological conditions occur in the European part of Russia, most of which is occupied by the East European Plain. In the East European Plain, suffosion landslides are confined to the valleys of large rivers and their tributaries (Volga, Oka, Don, etc.), where their volumes can reach several million m3. In the Volgograd and Moscow regions, suffosion can result in soil decompaction at the base of slopes, or the formation of underground cavities in massifs, niches and grottoes on slopes, ultimately leading to the formation of suffosion landslides. Suffosion landslides are complex displacements of waterlogged soil masses formed as a result of suffosion and the subsequent associated collapse of the sides of suffosion cavities and niches. Indicators of suffosion landslides are: (1) the presence of a prograding fan of finely dispersed material at the base of slope and adjacent terrain, whose boundaries often exceed the landslide limits; and (2) a large number of ledges of different sizes on the surface of the landslide body created by uneven settling of blocks into the roof of suffosion cavities, and on the sides of suffosion niches. Suffosion landslides are often elongated, horseshoe-shaped, or ∞-shaped with a narrowing in the central part formed in saturated soils breaching from an underground suffosion cavity. Suffosion landslides do not have a marked sliding surface. Rather, soil displacement occurs over layers with strongly dispersed groundwater. The displacement rate of such landslides depends on the scale and speed of development of mechanical suffosion at the base of the slope.
AOA: Adaptive Overclocking Algorithm on CPU-GPU Heterogeneous Platforms
Authors: Ou Zhixin , Chen Juan , Sun Yuyang , Xu Tao , Jiang Guodong , Tan Zhengyuan , Qi Xinxin
Published: January 2023

Although GPUs have been used to accelerate various convolutional neural network algorithms with good performance, the demand for performance improvement is still continuously increasing. CPU/GPU overclocking technology brings opportunities for further performance improvement in CPU-GPU heterogeneous platforms. However, CPU/GPU overclocking inevitably increases the power of the CPU/GPU, which is not conducive to energy conservation, energy efficiency optimization, or even system stability. How to effectively constrain the total energy to remain roughly unchanged during the CPU/GPU overclocking is a key issue in designing adaptive overclocking algorithms. There are two key factors during solving this key issue. Firstly, the dynamic power upper bound must be set to reflect the real-time behavior characteristics of the program so that algorithm can better meet the total energy unchanging constraints; secondly, instead of independently overclocking at both CPU and GPU sides, coordinately overclocking on CPU-GPU must be considered to adapt to real-time load balance for higher performance improvement and better energy constraints. This paper proposes an Adaptive Overclocking Algorithm (AOA) on CPU-GPU heterogeneous platforms to achieve the goal of performance improvement while the total energy remains roughly unchanged. AOA uses the function $$F_k$$

F
k

to describe the variable power upper bound and introduces the load imbalance factor W to realize the CPU-GPU coordinated overclocking. Through the verification of several types convolutional neural network algorithms on two CPU-GPU heterogeneous platforms (Intel$$^\circledR $$

®

Xeon E5-2660 & NVIDIA$$^\circledR $$

®

Tesla K80; Intel$$^\circledR $$

®

Core™i9-10920X & NIVIDIA$$^\circledR $$

®

GeForce RTX 2080Ti), AOA achieves an average of 10.7% performance improvement and 4.4% energy savings. To verify the effectiveness of the AOA, we compare AOA with other methods including automatic boost, the highest overclocking and static optimal overclocking.
CP$$^{3}$$: Hierarchical Cross-Platform Power/Performance Prediction Using a Transfer Learning Approach
Authors: Qi Xinxin , Chen Juan , Deng Lin
Published: January 2023

Cross-platform power/performance prediction is becoming increasingly important due to the rapid development and variety of software and hardware architectures in an era of heterogeneous multi-core. However, accurate power/performance prediction is faced with an obstacle caused by the large gap between architectures, which is often overcome by laborious and time-consuming fine-grained program profiling on the target platform. To overcome these problems, this paper introduces $$CP^3$$

C

P
3

, a hierarchical Cross-platform Power/Performance Prediction framework, which focuses on utilizing architecture differences to migrate built models to target platforms. The core of $$CP^3$$

C

P
3

is the three-step hierarchical transfer learning approach, hierarchical division, partial transfer learning, and model fusion, respectively. $$CP^3$$

C

P
3

firstly builds a power/performance model on the source platform, then rebuilds it with the reduced training data on the target platform, and finally obtains a cross-platform model. We validate the effectiveness of $$CP^3$$

C

P
3

using a group of benchmarks on X86- and ARM-based platforms that use three different types of commonly used processors. Evaluation results show that when applying $$CP^3$$

C

P
3

, only 1% of the baseline training data is required to achieve high cross-platform prediction accuracy, with power prediction error being only 0.65%, and performance prediction error being only 4.64%.
A comment on loop corrections to the celestial stress tensor
Authors: Pasterski Sabrina
Published: January 2023

Abstract

In this note we show how the 1-loop exact correction to the subleading soft graviton theorem arising from IR divergences of scattering amplitudes matches onto the quadratic corrections to the soft charges computed from the BMS flux algebra. In the process, we examine how the BMS flux construction extends the celestial diamond framework to non-linear order and non-trivial vacua, and provides the natural symmetry generators for Celestial CFT.
Universal accelerating cosmologies from 10d supergravity
Authors: Marconnet Paul , Tsimpis Dimitrios
Published: January 2023

Abstract

We study 4d Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker cosmologies obtained from time-dependent compactifications of Type IIA 10d supergravity on various classes of 6d manifolds (Calabi-Yau, Einstein, Einstein-Kähler). The cosmologies we present are universal in that they do not depend on the detailed features of the compactification manifold, but only on the properties which are common to all the manifolds belonging to that class. Once the equations of motion are rewritten as an appropriate dynamical system, the existence of solutions featuring a phase of accelerated expansion is made manifest. The fixed points of this dynamical system, as well as the trajectories on the boundary of the phase space, correspond to analytic solutions which we determine explicitly. Furthermore, some of the resulting cosmologies exhibit eternal or semi-eternal acceleration, whereas others allow for a parametric control on the number of e-foldings. At future infinity, one can achieve both large volume and weak string coupling. Moreover, we find several smooth accelerating cosmologies without Big Bang singularities: the universe is contracting in the cosmological past (T < 0), expanding in the future (T > 0), while in the vicinity of T = 0 it becomes de Sitter in hyperbolic slicing. We also obtain several cosmologies featuring an infinite number of cycles of alternating periods of accelerated and decelerated expansions.
The automorphism group of projective norm graphs
Authors: Bayer Tomas , Mészáros Tamás , Rónyai Lajos , Szabó Tibor
Published: January 2023

The projective norm graphs are central objects to extremal combinatorics. They appear in a variety of contexts, most importantly they provide tight constructions for the Turán number of complete bipartite graphs $$K_{t,s}$$

K

t
,
s

with $$s>(t-1)!$$

s
>
(
t
-
1
)
!

. In this note we deepen their understanding further by determining their automorphism group.
Optimal vaccination: various (counter) intuitive examples
Authors: Delmas Jean-François , Dronnier Dylan , Zitt Pierre-André
Published: January 2023

In previous articles, we formalized the problem of optimal allocation strategies for a (perfect) vaccine in an infinite-dimensional metapopulation model. The aim of the current paper is to illustrate this theoretical framework with multiple examples where one can derive the analytic expression of the optimal strategies. We discuss in particular the following points: whether or not it is possible to vaccinate optimally when the vaccine doses are given one at a time (greedy vaccination strategies); the effect of assortativity (that is, the tendency to have more contacts with similar individuals) on the shape of optimal vaccination strategies; the particular case where everybody has the same number of neighbors.
Multicentric study on surgical information and early safety and performance results with the Bonebridge BCI 602: an active transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implant
Authors: Sprinzl Georg , Toner Joseph , Koitschev Assen , Berger Nadine , Keintzel Thomas , Rasse Thomas , Baumgartner Wolf-Dieter , Honeder Clemens , Magele Astrid , Plontke Stefan , Götze Gerrit , Schmutzhard Joachim , Zelger Philipp , Corkill Stephanie , Lenarz Thomas , Salcher Rolf
Published: January 2023

Aim

This European multicentric study aimed to prove safety and performance of the Bonebridge BCI 602 in children and adults suffering from either conductive hearing loss (CHL), mixed hearing loss (MHL), or single-sided sensorineural deafness (SSD).

Methods

33 patients (13 adults and 10 children with either CHL or MHL and 10 patients with SSD) in three study groups were included. Patients were their own controls (single-subject repeated measures), comparing the unaided or pre-operative to the 3-month post-operative outcomes. Performance was evaluated by sound field thresholds (SF), word recognition scores (WRS) and/or speech reception thresholds in quiet (SRT) and in noise (SNR). Safety was demonstrated with a device-specific surgical questionnaire, adverse event reporting and stable pure-tone measurements.

Results

The Bonebridge BCI 602 significantly improved SF thresholds (+ 25.5 dB CHL/MHL/SSD), speech intelligibility in WRS (+ 68.0% CHL/MHL) and SRT in quiet (− 16.5 dB C/MHL) and in noise (− 3.51 dB SNR SSD). Air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) thresholds remained stable over time. All adverse events were resolved, with none unanticipated. Mean audio processor wearing times in hours [h] per day for the CHL/MHL group were ~ 13 h for adults, ~ 11 h for paediatrics and ~ 6 h for the SSD group. The average surgical length was 57 min for the CHL/MHL group and 42 min for the SSD group. The versatility of the BCI 602 (reduced drilling depth and ability to bend the transition for optimal placement) allows for treatment of normal, pre-operated and malformed anatomies. All audiological endpoints were reached.

Conclusions

The Bonebridge BCI 602 significantly improved hearing thresholds and speech understanding. Since implant placement follows the patient’s anatomy instead of the shape of the device and the duration of surgery is shorter than with its predecessor, implantation is easier with the BCI 602. Performance and safety were proven for adults and children as well as for the CHL/MHL and SSD indications 3 months post-operatively.
Ocean model with adjustable arrangements of discrete variables: application to strong tidal flows and low-salinity water dynamics
Authors: Nishi Yoshiki , Tabeta Shigeru , Fujiwara Yasunori , Hatano Takahiro
Published: January 2023

The assessment of marine environmental risk necessitates the simulation of a series of phenomena related to the risk as well as a measurement of creatures exposed to the risk. As a practical tool, the simulation is based on the establishment of a numerical ocean model. Although several decades have passed since the numerical model for ocean dynamics has been presented, there remains room for fundamental approaches to refine the method for computing solutions. This paper is a report of the development of a novel algorithm of the model. In this algorithm, discrete variables are positioned in a grid to maximally elicit the advantages of a numerical scheme adopted to each term in the governing equations and simplify the program structure. The implemented program is applied to a tidal flow and riverine buoyant plume in the Hinchinbrook Channel in the eastern coast of the Australian Continent. The computation reproduces the observed strong oscillatory flows and low-salinity water dynamics well. The proposed method is applicable to the movements of pollutants in regions of freshwater influence.
Material influence on mechanical properties of gears with alternative microstructures
Authors: Blech N. , Güntner C. , Schurer S. , Steinbacher M. , Tobie T. , Stahl K.
Published: January 2023

Case hardening represents the most important heat treatment process to increase the load carrying capacity of gear components. Beside predominantly martensitic surface layers with low proportion of retained austenite, there were investigated material structures with differing properties in preceding research work.

In a previous publication, the results of three variants made of the material 20MnCr5, which is typically used for gears, were presented. The reference heat treatment was a conventional carburizing with subsequent case hardening. The second variant was also gas carburized, but with a high proportion of retained austenite. The last presented variant had a bainitic structure in the surface layer. The second and the third variant showed a similar tooth root bending strength compared to the reference. The numbers of the pitting resistance were significantly higher than for the reference variant.

This paper presents the results of further investigations on the influence of different microstructures on the gear load carrying capacity. For this purpose, gears made of 18CrNiMo7‑6 were tested with regard to their load carrying capacity. 18CrNiMo7‑6 is a case hardening steel like 20MnCr5, too, which is often applied in big gear components. The tooth root bending strength was approximately constant, whereas the pitting resistance decreased compared to the corresponding variants of the material 20MnCr5. In comparison to the carburized 20MnCr5 reference variant, only the 18CrNiMo7‑6 variant with a large proportion of retained austenite showed a higher pitting resistance.

The tooth root bending strength investigations took place in the cycle regime of limited life as well in the high cycle fatigue regime. The pitting resistance was only determined in the cycle regime of limited life.
Optimal sampling and analysis methods for clinical diagnostics of vaginal microbiome
Authors: Kero Katja , Hieta Niina , Kallonen Teemu , Ahtikoski Anne , Laine Hanna K. , Rautava Jaana , Munukka Eveliina
Published: January 2023

Next-generation sequencing-based microbiological analysis is a complex way to profile vaginal microbiome samples since each step affects the results gained. Methodologies for sample collection lack golden standards. We compared Puritan DNA/RNA swab (PS) and Copan FLOQ swab (CS) and provided consistent and reliable microbiome profiles analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We collected two consecutive vaginal samples utilizing PS with room temperature storing and CS with instant freezing from 26 women. Variable region 4 of bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified with single PCR by custom-designed dual-indexed primers and sequenced with Illumina MiSeq system. Read quality control, operational taxonomic unit tables, and alpha and beta diversities analysis were performed, and community richness, diversity, and evenness were evaluated and compared between the two samplings and tests. Nineteen sample pairs produced detectable, intact DNA during the extraction protocol and/or further microbial profiles. Alpha bacterial diversity indices were independent on the collection protocol. No significant statistical differences were found in the measured beta diversity metrics between the collection methods. Of the women, 43% had Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiome profile despite of collection method. Previously reported important vaginal microbiome phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria were present in the sample set although their relative abundances varied among individuals. PS and CS enable constant vaginal microbiota sampling. The PS method with no need for instant freezing is suitable for on-site collections at clinics. Furthermore, it seems to be possible to take two samples instead of one with constant microbiological results.
Corporate income tax competition and efficient tax base equalization
Authors: Matsumoto Mutsumi , Ogawa Hikaru
Published: January 2023

The literature on tax competition argues that the representative tax system (RTS), which is a standard form of tax base equalization, can internalize interregional externalities due to capital mobility. Although this conventional view holds when per unit tax on capital is imposed, it does not hold when corporate income is subject to tax. This paper proposes an efficient tax base equalization system under which each region’s tax base is evaluated by the average factor return of all regions, not by each region’s factor return (as in RTS). By investigating the nature of externalities arising from non-cooperative tax policy, we explain the workings of our “average-return” tax base equalization system.
Fish yawn: the state-change hypothesis in juvenile white-spotted char Salvelinus leucomaenis
Authors: Yamada Hiroyuki , Wada Satoshi
Published: January 2023

Yawning is a ubiquitous stereotyped action in vertebrates. Yawning may induce behavioral state changes in animals through its arousal function, but no studies have explicitly examined this state-change hypothesis in fish. This study examined the state-change hypothesis in juvenile white-spotted char, Salvelinus leucomaenis. We observed 48 yawns in 23 out of 41 juveniles during 600 s of observation in the laboratory. Thirty-two of these yawns occurred while juveniles were stationary on the substrate, and they were concentrated immediately before the behavioral transition from stationary to active. These results support the state-change hypothesis. Sixteen yawns were observed after the behavioral transition, and their durations were longer than those before the transition. Although we suspected that this prolonged yawning after the transition would be associated with feeding and thermoregulation in the juveniles, we could not determine the cause of this difference. Further studies are needed to understand fish yawning and the origin of animal yawning.
Optimizing Peer Distribution of Syphilis Self-Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Multi-City Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wang Yajie , Zhang Wei , Gong Xiao , Ong Jason J. , Marks Michael , Zhao Peizhen , Tucker Joseph D. , Tang Weiming , Wu Dan , Wang Cheng
Published: January 2023

Syphilis testing uptake is low among men who have sex with men (MSM) around the world. Syphilis self-testing (SST) may complement facility-based testing; the distribution model is yet to be explored. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of peer distribution of syphilis self-testing on promoting syphilis testing. We conducted a three-arm, unblinded, parallel individually randomized controlled trial among MSM in three cities in Guangdong, China. Inclusion criteria were: men who were born biologically male, aged 18 or above, have ever had sex with a man, will refer the interventions to peers, and will take the three-month follow-up survey. Enrolled indexes were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio into standard-of-care arm (SOC arm), standard SST delivery arm (S-SST arm), and a web-based referral link SST delivery arm (RL-SST arm). The primary outcome was the number of returned photograph-verified syphilis testing results per index. A total number of 300 indexes were enrolled, with 100 indexes in each arm. The number of verified syphilis tests per index conducted by alters was 0.05 in the control arm, 0.51 in the S-SST arm, and 0.31 in the RL-SST arm. The cost per alter tested was $760.60 for SOC, $83.78 for S-SST, and $93.10 for RL-SST. Minimal adverse event was reported among both indexes and alters during the study. This study showed that peer distribution of SST could improve syphilis testing uptake among MSM in China compared to facility-based testing. This approach warrants further consideration as part of expanding syphilis self-testing.
Model-agnostic feature importance and effects with dependent features: a conditional subgroup approach
Authors: Molnar Christoph , König Gunnar , Bischl Bernd , Casalicchio Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

The interpretation of feature importance in machine learning models is challenging when features are dependent. Permutation feature importance (PFI) ignores such dependencies, which can cause misleading interpretations due to extrapolation. A possible remedy is more advanced conditional PFI approaches that enable the assessment of feature importance conditional on all other features. Due to this shift in perspective and in order to enable correct interpretations, it is beneficial if the conditioning is transparent and comprehensible. In this paper, we propose a new sampling mechanism for the conditional distribution based on permutations in conditional subgroups. As these subgroups are constructed using tree-based methods such as transformation trees, the conditioning becomes inherently interpretable. This not only provides a simple and effective estimator of conditional PFI, but also local PFI estimates within the subgroups. In addition, we apply the conditional subgroups approach to partial dependence plots, a popular method for describing feature effects that can also suffer from extrapolation when features are dependent and interactions are present in the model. In simulations and a real-world application, we demonstrate the advantages of the conditional subgroup approach over existing methods: It allows to compute conditional PFI that is more true to the data than existing proposals and enables a fine-grained interpretation of feature effects and importance within the conditional subgroups.
Undergraduate students’ beliefs about diverse approaches to making engineering design decisions: Exploring change during a capstone course
Authors: Leonard Alexia , Guanes Giselle , Dringenberg Emily
Published: January 2023

Well-structured, de-contextualized problems that can be solved using solely technical approaches remain a large component of the engineering education curriculum. As a result, students may mistakenly believe that all engineering work can be done the same way—without the use of other approaches. Capstone design courses are an established way of exposing undergraduate students to ill-structured design tasks that more realistically reflect engineering practice. Yet, little is known about the influence of their capstone design experiences on their beliefs about how engineering design decisions are made. Our study compared students’ beliefs about four diverse approaches (technical, empathic, guess-based, and experience-based) to making engineering design decisions at the start of their capstone to their beliefs held at the end of their capstone. We conducted and analyzed qualitative transcripts from one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with 17 capstone students. We found little evidence that students’ experience in capstone courses changed their beliefs about diverse approaches to making engineering design decisions. The minimal change that we did find in students’ beliefs was primarily about guess-based approaches, and that change was not uniform amongst the students who did demonstrate change. Our findings point to the resiliency of students’ beliefs about approaches to design decisions throughout an engineering capstone design experience. Therefore, we recommend instructors foster reflexivity within their classrooms to disrupt these limited, normative beliefs about the approaches needed to make engineering design decisions.
Societal Attitudes Towards Autism (SATA): Validation of the Greek Version in the General Population
Authors: Zarokanellou Vasiliki , Gryparis Alexandros , Papatheodorou Paraskevi , Tatsis Giorgos , Tafiadis Dionysios , Papadopoulos Angelos , Voniati Louiza , Siafaka Vassiliki
Published: January 2023

This study examined the validity of the Greek version of the Societal Attitudes Towards Autism (SATA) scale in a Greek community sample (n = 633) and explored how the demographic variables of the sample modulate knowledge and attitudes regarding people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The principal component analysis confirmed the three-dimension model and explained 40.5% of the variance. All Cronbach’s alpha values obtained were over 0.70. SATA’s subscales were significantly and positively correlated, indicating good internal reliability. Participants presented moderate knowledge about ASD and mediocre positive attitudes towards people with ASD. Gender, age, and educational level significantly affected SATA total scores. Overall, this Greek version of SATA showed acceptable psychometric properties, indicating that can be a reliable scale for use.