bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The dovish turnaround: Germany's social benefit reform and job findings
Authors: Weber Enzo
Published: October 2024

On the labor markets, recent decades were characterized by structural supply‐side reforms in many countries. Following its hawkish reforms from the 2000s, Germany has recently made a dovish turnaround. Conditions in basic income support for unemployed became more generous, combined with a focus on qualification and development. Before, a temporary moratorium on sanctions had been imposed, providing a unique policy shift. We analyze the consequences for job findings, building on large administrative data and a novel control group approach. The moratorium dampened job findings by 4% and the subsequent benefit reform by almost 6%—offsetting half of the positive effect of the 2000s reform. Considering reform objectives, so far, we find no improvement in skill level, job stability, or transitions to training.
How dry is dead? Evaluating the impact of desiccation on the viability of the invasive species Cissus quadrangularis
Authors: Mondragón‐Botero Ariadna , Powers Jennifer S.
Published: October 2024

Cissus quadrangularis is a succulent vine that degrades forests where it is not native by growing over trees and causing them to break or by impeding regeneration. Methods for its control have been tried but no satisfactory approach has been found yet. We carried out an experiment to analyze how much desiccation Cissus can endure before losing its ability to grow when rehydrated, using fragments of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 internodes to test if desiccation tolerance was affected by fragment length. We found that Cissus remains viable after losing up to 80% of its weight, with shorter fragments losing viability (capacity to grow) at 70% weight loss. No fragments sustained viability at 90% water loss, establishing a critical threshold for Cissus desiccation tolerance. Our study also showed that shorter fragments (0.5 internodes) were less viable compared to longer ones (1, 2 or 3 internodes). Cissus has a remarkable tolerance to desiccation. Therefore, management strategies should ensure complete dehydration of Cissus fragments to prevent its regrowth. Reducing fragments to smaller sizes could amplify the effectiveness of control measures by reducing their viability, but risks of increasing propagule numbers should be considered.
“Tipping the Balance”: Human Intervention in Large Language Model Multi‐Agent Debate
Authors: Triem Haley , Ding Ying
Published: October 2024

Methods for eliciting reasoning from large language models (LLMs) are shifting from filtering natural language “prompts” through contextualized “personas,” towards structuring conversations between LLM instances, or “agents.” This work expands upon LLM multiagent debate by inserting human opinion into the loop of generated conversation. To simulate complex reasoning, LLM instances were given United States district court decisions and asked to debate whether to “affirm” or “not affirm” the decision. Agents were examined in three phases: “synthetic debate,” where one LLM instance simulated a three‐agent discussion; “multiagent debate,” where three LLM instances discussed among themselves; and “human‐AI debate,” where multiagent debate was interrupted by human opinion. During each phase, a nine‐step debate was simulated one‐hundred times, yielding 2,700 total debate steps. Resulting conversations generated by synthetic debate followed a pre‐set cadence, proving them ineffective at simulating individual agents and confirming that mechanism engineering is critical for multiagent debate. Furthermore, the reasoning process backing multiagent decision‐making was strikingly similar to human decision‐making. Finally, it is discovered that while LLMs do weigh human input more heavily than AI opinion, it is only by a small threshold. Ultimately, this work asserts that careful, human‐in‐the‐loop framework is critical for designing value‐aware, agentic AI agents.
Can Seniors Spot Deepfakes? A Diary Study of Deepfake Identification Strategies
Authors: Chun Rachel Wan Ying , Huang Shilan , Goh Dion Hoe‐Lian , Lee Chei Sian , Theng Yin‐Leng
Published: October 2024

Deepfake identification research currently lacks focus on seniors. We address this gap through a diary study to elicit seniors' deepfake identification strategies over three weeks. Results indicate that seniors performed well in identification performance, and over time, were able to integrate multiple strategies, enhancing identification accuracy. Implications of our work are discussed.
First Insights into the Coverage of Conversational Agents in LIS Sources
Authors: Imeri Aylin
Published: October 2024

This poster addresses the research question of whether conversational agents (CAs) play a role within the Library and Information Science (LIS) publication sources and provides preliminary insights. At the time of research, the Scimago Journal & Country Rank (SJR) database included 271 LIS publication sources. Twenty‐seven percent of these sources related to research topics on conversational agents. In total, the dataset included 351 documents extracted from Scopus. With 59 publications, the journal Education and Information Technologies listed the greatest number of articles. A ranking by the number of authors showed China (N = 239), the United States (N = 222), and India (N = 87) as the top three countries.
TORCHLITE: New, Open Analytical Tools and Infrastructure for a Mega‐Scale Digital Library
Authors: Lamba Manika , Walsh John , Dubnicek Ryan , Christie Jennifer , Downie J. Stephen , Swatscheno Janet , Kudeki Deren , Layne‐Worthey Glen
Published: October 2024

This paper introduces TORCHLITE, an innovative HathiTrust Research Center (HTRC) open analytical and computational framework designed to offer efficient, open, and approachable access to the HTRC Extracted Features (EF) dataset via a well‐documented web‐based API. This poster will summarize project goals and progress, and discuss community engagement, which has played a pivotal role in this project. During a hackathon event held in spring 2024, TORCHLITE fostered collaboration among digital humanities and information science scholars to develop widgets and notebooks utilizing the EF API. Through the hackathon, participants explored the API's capabilities, leading to the creation of over a dozen analytical widgets and interactive programming notebooks (e.g., Jupyter).
Trialkylsulfonium Thiocyanate Ionic Liquids: Investigation on Temperature‐Dependent Ignition Behavior of Green Hypergolic Propellants
Authors: Stölzle Sophie C. , Kruse Lennart , Freudenmann Dominic
Published: October 2024

Three trialkylsulfonium thiocyanate ionic liquids (ILs) are presented as fuel candidates for novel green hypergolic propellants. The physical and chemical properties such as density, viscosity, melting point and decomposition temperature as well as the enthalpy of formation of the ILs were determined. Further, the research focused on the potential of the ILs as fuel components for hypergolic propellants with highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide as oxidizer. For this, the theoretical maximum specific impulses of the propellants were calculated with NASA CEA. To evaluate the ignition delay times of the hypergolic propellants, drop tests were carried out. These were conducted not only at ambient conditions but also at lower levels of fuel temperature. It was found that all three propellant combinations still ignited reliably at temperature levels down to −25°C, however, the average ignition delay increased at lower temperatures. Overall, not only three promising hypergolic fuels were identified, but also important insights into the temperature‐dependent ignition behavior of hypergolic ionic liquid‐based propellants with thiocyanate anions were obtained.
Structure‐based virtual screening of novel chitin synthase inhibitors for the control of Phytophthora sojae
Authors: Liu Yuansheng , Liu Jinfeng , Xia Yeqiang , Chen Wei , Li Yingchen , He Xiao , Yang Qing
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND

Chitin synthase (CHS) is an important target for pesticide development as chitin biosynthesis is essential for the survival and reproduction of various organisms, such as oomycetes, fungi and insects. Small‐molecule inhibitors of CHS have potential applications for the control of agricultural pests and diseases.

RESULTS

In this study, exploiting the cryo‐EM structures of PsChs1, the CHS indispensable to the sporangial production and virulence of soybean root rot pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora sojae, a virtual screening method combining by molecular docking, inhibitory activity measurement and biological activity determination was conducted, to identify novel small‐molecule inhibitors of CHS. A chemical library containing ≈1.8 million compounds was screened, and four potent inhibitors (HS‐20, HS‐24, HS‐36 and HS‐40) were identified. Amongst these compounds, HS‐20 showed the most potent inhibitory activity with a Ki value of 4.2 ± 0.2 μM. Besides inhibitory activities towards PsChs1, these compounds were effective in decreasing sporangial production and preventing zoospore infection. When inoculated with zoospores, HS‐20 and HS‐24 completely inhibited the growth of P. sojae, suggesting their potential in its prevention and control.

CONCLUSION

This study identified four new compounds with potent chitin synthase (CHS) inhibitory activity, all of which significantly reduce sporangia production and zoospore infection. It also presents promising in silico techniques and small molecule candidates for the design and development of novel CHS inhibitors. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Manganese Electrochemistry in a Deep Eutectic Solvent: The Effects of KBr
Authors: Alesary Hasan F. , Noori Duha Y. , Al‐Yasari Ahmed , Hassan Waqed H. , Taj‐Aldeen Rafid A. , Ismail Hani K. , Athab Zahraa H. , Halbus Ahmed F. , Barton Stephen
Published: October 2024

This work reports the effects of potassium bromide (KBr) on the electrodeposition of manganese on copper from a DES consisting of a stoichiometric 1:2 mix of choline chloride and ethylene glycol (Ethaline 200). The speciation of MnCl2.4H2O in Ethaline 200 has been investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy, in particular with regard to the addition of KBr to the plating bath, for which no apparent change in the Mn species was noted. This said, the physical properties of the manganese deposits themselves were found to have been considerably improved in comparison to when KBr was omitted from the bath; indeed, the actual adhesion of Mn was achieved for the first time on a copper substrate, somewhat remarkably producing a coating of some considerable thickness. Given its clear electrochemical behavior of the Mn liquid were subsequently determined via cyclic voltammetry method. A reduction in the peak current of Mn was noted on addition of KBr. The mechanism of Mn deposition has been examined via chronocoulometry and chronoamperometry. Surface analyses of Mn deposits have been conducted via SEM/EDX, AFM, and XRD, from which improvements to the Mn surface coatings in depositions performed from an electrolyte containing 0.1 M KBr were noted.
Design Guidelines for Building and Infrastructure Integrated Photovoltaic Modules
Authors: Kyranaki Nikoleta , Colberts Fallon , Koetse Marc , Wieclawski Arnaud , Rajabloo Talieh , Bouguerra Sara , Paesa Marta Casasola , Vavilkin Tatjana , Van De Wall Wim , Meuris Marc , Morlier Arnaud , Valckenborg Roland , Daenen Michaël
Published: October 2024

The demand for renewable energy is increasing as efforts to decarbonize energy sources continue. Photovoltaic (PV) generation systems are the main contributor to the growth of renewable energy, but limited land availability in countries such as Belgium and Netherlands poses a challenge to their deployment. Integrated PV (IPV) can be a promising solution, but requires special consideration regarding electrical and fire safety, efficiency, durability, cost, and environmental impact in the design process. This study seeks to assist designers of IPV products by guiding the selection of materials, technologies, mechanical designs, and production methods for PV semifabricates (SF). It provides a comprehensive list of general design criteria, each offering various options in terms of bill of materials and production technologies. These options come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages, which are enumerated and quantified wherever feasible. The general design guidelines are validated based on the building‐integrated PV and infrastructure‐integrated PV demonstrators (in this case a noise barrier) being developed in the Solar Energy Made Regional (SolarEMR) project.
The Role of Kinetic Asymmetry in Chemical and Thermodynamic Coupling
Authors: Dean Astumian R.
Published: October 2024

The input of energy can shift an isomerization reaction A⇌B away from equilibrium, but which way, in favor of A or in favor of B? The answer to this question lies in understanding kinetic asymmetry, a concept first discussed in the context of how energy from an oscillating or fluctuating perturbation can act in concert with a catalyst to drive a reaction away from equilibrium. The key theoretical result is the non‐equilibrium pumping equality that generalizes the idea of the equilibrium constant to the non‐equilibrium steady‐state.
Impact of colorectal cancer screening programme on survival and employment in Taiwan: A nationwide analysis of real‐world data
Authors: Chen Wei‐Ying , Lu Yi‐Peng , Chien Yu‐Wen , Ku Li‐Jung Elizabeth , Wang Jung‐Der
Published: October 2024

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) leads to life loss and a significant economic burden, which could be reduced by CRC screening.

Objective

We assessed the potential savings of lives and employment to evaluate the effectiveness of the Taiwan CRC Screening Programme.

Methods

Through interlinkages among Taiwan Cancer Registry, National Mortality Registry, Taiwan CRC Screening Database, and National Health Insurance claim data, we enroled patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, aged 50–74 years and diagnosed during 2004–2017, and followed them up to 2018. Life expectancy (LE), lifetime employment duration (LED), loss‐of‐LE and loss‐of‐LED were calculated, compared with age‐, sex‐ and calendar year‐matched cohorts. Assuming no difference within a specific stage for screen‐detected versus non‐screen detected CRC and weighting them by different stage distributions, we compared the total loss‐of‐LE and loss‐of‐LED.

Results

The cohort enroled 77,169 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, which included 31,728 women (mean [SD] age, 62.5 [7.1] years) and 45,441 men (mean [SD] age, 62.8 [6.8] years). The mean loss‐of‐LE and loss‐of‐LED in women were 6.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.7–6.3) and 1.0 (95% CI 0.8–1.1) year(s), whereas those in men were 5.1 (95% CI 4.9–5.4) and 1.1 (95% CI 1.0–1.2) years, respectively. Among the cohort, 53,678 cases had the screening information. On average, screening potentially saved 2.9 (95% CI 2.6–3.2) years of life expectancy plus 0.5 (95% CI 0.4–0.6) years of employment per case in women and 2.7 (95% CI 2.5–3.0) years plus 0.6 (95% CI 0.5–0.7) years in men, respectively.

Conclusion

The Taiwan CRC Screening Programme is associated with the savings of lives and employment duration. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of beginning screening at a younger age after accounting for saving employment loss and possibly adjusting lead time bias.
Developing a large‐scale quality improvement program for thyroid cancer surgery
Authors: Jensen Catherine B. , Bacon Elizabeth M. , Krumeich Lauren N. , Underwood Hunter J. , Hughes David T. , Gauger Paul G. , Burney Richard , Pitt Susan C.
Published: October 2024

Background

Surgical quality improvement (QI) plays a critical role in optimizing patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. QI programs focusing specifically on thyroid cancer surgical care are lacking. This study aimed to (a) select and introduce surgical quality indicators for thyroid cancer and (b) identify areas for QI at the state‐level.

Methods

A multidisciplinary team of thyroid cancer and QI experts selected 10 thyroid cancer‐specific quality indicators and assessed the quality of thyroid cancer surgical care compared to current national guidelines. Analysis of the first year (January–December 2023) of data collection was performed using descriptive statistics.

Results

The thyroid cancer quality indicators included preoperative cytology, postoperative pathology, staging, cancer size, margin status, extrathyroidal extension, lymph nodes, postoperative complications within 30 days, documented follow‐up treatment, and documented surveillance plans. 112 surgeons performed 360 thyroidectomies for thyroid cancer at 51 hospitals. Preoperative cytology was not performed in 34.3% (n = 103) of cases with thyroid cancer on final pathology. When the extent of surgery was evaluated by papillary cancer size, 50.0% (n = 38) of patients with <1 cm cancers underwent total thyroidectomy, and 13.8% (n = 4) with >4 cm underwent thyroid lobectomy. Positive margins were found in 16.2% (n = 53). Postoperatively, 19.2% (n = 69) of patients lacked documented follow‐up, and 18.6% (n = 67) lacked thyroid cancer surveillance plans.

Conclusions

Establishing a dedicated QI program for thyroid cancer provides a previously unharnessed opportunity to enhance the quality of thyroid cancer surgical care. Statewide surgical quality collaboratives offer a model for establishing thyroid cancer QI initiatives across diverse healthcare settings in other states and countries.
Financial risk protection of heart disease‐affected households in Bangladesh: Insights from nationwide income and expenditure surveys
Authors: Rahman Taslima , Gasbarro Dominic , Alam Khurshid
Published: October 2024

This study assesses the financial risk protection (FRP) of heart disease‐affected households in Bangladesh by analyzing three rounds of Household Income and Expenditure Survey data (2005, 2010, and 2016). Amidst a global surge in cardiovascular diseases, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries, Bangladesh encounters an escalating burden of heart disease, with an over‐reliance on out‐of‐pocket (OOP) healthcare expenses. Our findings reveal a substantial increase in annual OOP spending for households affected by heart disease, from USD 307.4 in 2005 to USD 346.1 in 2010, and then surging to USD 650.5 in 2016. Concurrently, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment incidences rose (17.6% to 18.2% to 29.3% and 3.2% to 2.2% to 3.3%, respectively), with a notable increase post‐2010. These expenses and CHE incidences were consistently higher than those in households with any ailment, underscoring a disparity in FRP, especially among economically disadvantaged, rural households and those headed by individuals without formal education. The study contributes to the literature by providing a first‐time analysis of FRP dynamics against heart disease in Bangladesh using comprehensive national data. It uncovers the worsening FRP status among affected households and highlights the need for targeted interventions to enhance FRP, particularly among the most vulnerable groups. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of strategic public health investments to mitigate the financial repercussions of heart disease care, providing insights that are globally applicable to similar contexts.
Introduction
Authors: Becker Matthias J. , Troschke Hagen , Bolton Matthew , Chapelan Alexis
Published: October 2024

This book provides a systematic overview of the key concepts, stereotypes and topoi that make up antisemitic discourse online today. It outlines the distinguishing characteristics of 46 antisemitic concepts or stereotypes, ranging from classical or ‘canonical’ stereotypes that have existed for hundreds of years, to newer concepts that have emerged in the wake of the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. The book serves as a reference guide for anyone who has encountered a statement, text or image, that they suspect to be antisemitic. Through the interpretation of authentic statements, it shows how the antisemitic idea contained therein, as well as the linguistic mechanisms through which this idea is expressed, can be precisely identified.
Blame for Antisemitism
Authors: Scheiber Marcus
Published: October 2024

While antisemitic stereotypes ascribe generalised negative characteristics to Jews, blame for antisemitism goes further by holding Jews responsible for the hatred expressed towards them. It is claimed that Jews trigger antisemitism through their behaviour and actions or, in particular, through actions of Israel and/or those associated with Zionism. On the one hand, the attribution of blame is a strategy to redirect responsibility from those who engage in hate speech and hate crime onto those who are affected by it. In this way, antisemitism in all its forms is justified and rationalised. It is a strategy to deflect responsibility and conceal one's own aggression or that of those who spread antisemitic ideas or act accordingly. On the other, through the frequency with which this strategy has been used, the attribution that Jews are to blame for antisemitism has now become a standalone stereotype. As a result, discrimination and violence against Jews appear to be legitimised, as it is now regarded as a reaction to their alleged misconduct.
Power
Authors: Becker Matthias J.
Published: October 2024

The notion that “Jews have too much power” has been a recurring theme in the history of antisemitism. This belief persists today, as evidenced by a 2023 survey conducted by the ADL, which revealed that over 20% of Americans subscribe to the idea that “Jews have too much power in the United States.” Additionally, nearly a quarter of all respondents expressed the belief that “Jews have too much power on Wall Street or in the business world.” This underscores a significant aspect of antisemitism: unlike racism, which seeks to portray certain groups as inferior, antisemitism also aims to propagate the image of Jewish omnipotence and depict Jews as a shadowy and oppressive elite.
Relativisation and Denial of Antisemitism
Authors: Scheiber Marcus
Published: October 2024

Whilst antisemitic stereotypes and analogies aim at a generalising and essentialising attribution of negative characteristics to Jewish entities (thus, from the non-Jewish in-group to the Jewish out-group), the communicative strategies of Relativisation and denial of antisemitism only indirectly refer to Jewish entities by denying or reinterpreting antisemitism when it occurs in specific instances or in general. Moreover, these strategies focus on the speaker or commenter (and not on a character trait imputed to Jews); it is thus a matter of self-reference: in this particular case, they deal with the phenomenon of antisemitism in a certain discursive way. Thereby, antisemitism is deprived of its Judeophobic quality in the most diverse contexts, in order not to have to deal with it (be it due to a lack of empathy, injured national pride or a desire for exoneration). Relativisation of antisemitism aims to play down antisemitic acts—both in the past and the present—by imposing additional conditions on them for being deemed antisemitic, for example, when antisemitism is located solely in a certain era, or when Israelis are excluded from it, or when antisemitism is only considered within a religious dimension.
Holding Jews Collectively Responsible for Israel’s Actions
Authors: Placzynta Karolina
Published: October 2024

Applying generalisations to an individual or a group based on their background—be it national, ethnic, religious or any other—is a common cognitive and discursive mechanism at the base of any stereotyping; it is also not unusual to blame the whole group for the faults or misdeeds of one of its members. While such sweeping assumptions are undeniably problematic, they are hardly unique to antisemitic discourse. However, this chapter deals specifically with the conceptualisation of all Jews and Israelis as a homogenous group liable for the actions of Israel on the basis of either their perceived religious affiliation or their ethnic origin, or both.
Colonialism Analogies
Authors: Ascone Laura
Published: October 2024

When Israel as a state or the policies of its government are compared to past colonial projects, the academic and historical dimension of debates about the concept and history of colonialism are overshadowed by the political uses and meanings ascribed to the concept today. Rather than an exploration of the complex historical relationship between Israel and colonialism—a task complicated by the positive use of the term by some early Zionist leaders, the fact that the State of Israel was formed in anti-imperialist struggle against the British, the lack of a Jewish ‘metropole’ from which a ‘peripheral’ colony could derive and the problem of Jewish settlements in the West Bank—contemporary political uses of the concept in relation to Israel do so in a simplistic, condemnatory manner. They erase the specific political and historical specificities of Zionism and Israel in order to conflate them in their entirety with the broader European colonial project.
Double Standards
Authors: Vincent Chloé , Bolton Matthew
Published: October 2024

Treating Jews, Jewish practices or institutions with a double standard, purely on the basis of their Jewishness, is to discriminate against them. The application of these double standards to Jews can be overt—denying Jews alone certain political, economic or civil rights—or more subtle. Double standards might take the form of stricter regulation on ritual slaughter or Jewish schooling than on other, non-Jewish religious practices or education; refusing to allow Jewish workers time off for religious holidays, but allowing workers of other religious backgrounds to do so; banning Jewish police officers from wearing a yarmulke while allowing other religious headgear; or outlawing public Jewish religious ceremonies during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns while supporting the right to hold protests against anti-Black racism during the same period. At an individual level, double standards might become apparent in certain cultural, academic or political spheres in which Jews are only accepted as full members so long as they pass a ‘litmus test’ regarding the ‘correct’ attitudes to Israel and Zionism.
Curses
Authors: Scheiber Marcus
Published: October 2024

An antisemitic curse is essentially an amplified form of a threat, since it bases its violent desire on the explicit or implicit intervention of a higher power (also in the form of destiny, fate, predestination, cosmic justice) and is thus operating on a supra-individual level. A curse expresses a wish for misfortune to someone, or more specifically a wish for something unpleasant or violent to happen to a person/group, up to a death wish. Similar to insults and threats, curses contain a negative emotional value and realise a form of verbal violence, as the speech act hints at a harmful event in the future: pending harm is invoked. Jews, Israelis, as well as the State of Israel or Zionism can all be targets of an antisemitic curse.
GigaVision: When Computer Vision Meets Gigapixel Videography
Authors: Fang Lu
Published: October 2024

In previous chapters, we have explored advanced plenoptic imaging and reconstruction techniques, enabling images and videos to reach gigapixel-level resolution. This breakthrough unlocks new possibilities for a wide range of applications and industries. However, traditional computer vision methods, tailored for megapixel-level data, are ill-equipped to handle the complexities of gigapixel-level data, which often feature large-scale scenes with hundreds of objects and intricate interactions. As a result, these methods face significant limitations in both precision and efficiency.
Deep Learning-Based Multi-Model Coupled Flood Season Daily Runoff Prediction Model
Authors: Ye Xiaoyu , Wang Dong , Yu Chenlu , Yang Zhuo , Zhang Along
Published: October 2024

Accurate runoff forecasting is of great significance for flood control, drought prevention, reservoir scheduling, and ecological protection. To explore the applicability of deep learning networks combined with signal processing techniques in runoff forecasting, an ICEEMDAN-VMD-CNN-LSTM daily runoff forecasting model for the flood season was developed. First, the original runoff series was decomposed using the Improved Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (ICEEMDAN). Then, the complex series was further decomposed using Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) to reduce data complexity. Next, each mode component was input into a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) - Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) combined model to extract local features of the data and capture long-term dependencies of the time series. Finally, the predicted values were reconstructed to obtain the final prediction results. Using the measured daily runoff data from the Hekou station in the Diaojiang basin as an example, the results showed that the ICEEMDAN-VMD-CNN-LSTM achieved testing MAE and NSE of 5.232 m3/s and 0.977, respectively, demonstrating excellent forecasting accuracy.
Analysis of Dynamic Response Characteristics of Towering Intake Towers Under the Action of Main-Aftershock Sequences
Authors: Song Zhiyu , Zhai Yafei , Liu Guangkun
Published: October 2024

After a strong earthquake occurs, it can cause a certain degree of damage to the structure, and the strong aftershock effect can cause secondary damage to the already damaged structure. In this study, taking a actual project of intake tower in the district of western strong earthquake as an example, the acoustic unit is used to simulate the dynamic effect of reservoir water on the tower body, and the overall nonlinear model of the water-intake tower-foundation is established. Combined with the site and seismic motion characteristics of the engineering area, the seismic motion sequence of the main-aftershocks was constructed based on the statistical relationship between the main shocks and strong aftershocks, as well as the NGA seismic motion attenuation model. The effects of main shock, aftershock, and main-aftershock on the structural damage evolution of intake towers in strong earthquake zones were investigated separately. The results show that after considering the aftershock effect, the damage and failure of the intake tower structure intensify, and its dissipation energy and residual displacement increase by about 20%~25%. Compared with the main shock, the aftershock alone causes less damage to the tower structure. However, for the intake tower structure that is damaged after the main shock, the aftershock can cause larger secondary residual deformation of the tower.
Study on Adaptive Heads for Flip Bucket with Small Slope of Aeration Facilities in High-Flow and Slow-Bottom-Slope Flood Discharging Tunnel
Authors: Liu Chuang , Cui Anzhe , Yin Ming , Zhang Luchen , Luo Shaoze
Published: October 2024

The use of flip bucket with small slope in aeration facilities along high-velocity flood discharging tunnels can effectively improve the flow conditions within tunnels, but it is difficult to guarantee the aeration effect under large variations of head. Based on the Kashi Hydropower Station, this paper adopts a hydraulic model test to study the hydraulic characteristics of the aeration facilities in flood discharging tunnel under various heads, and analyzes the adaptability of the flip bucket with small slope configuration. The study shows that when the head is 70m or above, the cavity of the flip bucket with small slope without backwater, and has good aeration effect; when the water head is between 25m and 70m, there is varying degrees of backwater in the air cavity, and the aeration effect slightly decreases with the decrease of head. The average reduction of effective air cavity length, ventilation hole airflow, and aeration concentration are 20.4%, 13.4%, and 12.1% respectively, indicating that the aeration facilities with flip bucket with small slope have a wide range of water head adaptability; when the head is below 25m, the aeration effect is significantly reduced, and even the entire cavity is filled with backwater, without aeration mitigation cavitation effect.
Main Circuit Parameter Design Research of Offshore Wind Farm DC Transmission Based on Grid-Forming Wind Turbines and Diode Rectifier Unit
Authors: Liu Yingrui , Ning Jian , Qu Taotao , Qiu Xiaodong , Wang Kexin
Published: October 2024

The offshore wind power gradually develops towards the direction of far-reaching sea and large capacity, and the offshore wind power DC transmission system based on diode rectifier unit has a great development prospect, and its main circuit parameter design is an important part of the HVDC engineering design. Combined with the basic principle of wind power system and converter station, the working characteristics of offshore wind power DC transmission system based on diode rectifier unit are analyzed. For the important equipment, such as converter transformer, smoothing reactor and AC filter, the calculation formulas of main circuit parameters are derived, and the complete design idea and calculation process of main circuit parameters are given. Lastly, the parameters designed are verified by PSCAD/EMTDC simulation which can provide reference for the future design of offshore wind power DC transmission system based on diode rectifier unit.
Exploring the Impacts of Large Hydroelectric Projects on Downstream Wetland Ecosystems: A Case Study of the Impact Zone of the Jingwei Wetland Reserve
Authors: Wan Weifeng , Zeng Feng , Sun Liqun , Zhou Weidong
Published: October 2024

The construction of a hydroelectric project will impact the interaction between surface water and groundwater downstream, potentially disrupting the ecological balance of the downstream wetland water bodies. This study focuses on the effects of the Dongzhuang Reservoir construction on the downstream Jingwei Wetland and conducts numerical modeling calculations of unstable three-dimensional groundwater flow under various operating conditions. It simulates and predicts the variations in water level burial depth at different sections of the wetland protection area and at different distances from the riverbank. The study determines the area of water level changes with and without hydraulic engineering under various conditions, and analyzes the impact of groundwater level changes on vegetation area under different adverse scenarios. The research reveals that the construction of the Dongzhuang Reservoir will have a certain impact on groundwater levels in the Jingwei Wetland. Under the most unfavorable conditions of five consecutive years of drought, the maximum water level drop can reach up to 0.54 m. The range of groundwater burial depth variations under different conditions is between 0.249 km2 to 0.432 km2, with the impact on the vegetation area of the protection area relatively small (all less than 2%). The most extreme adverse effects only occur in individual months, and overall, the operation of the project has a minimal impact on the protection area. This study provides important theoretical support for the harmonious and healthy development of the Dongzhuang hydropower project and the ecological balance of the Jingwei Wetland.
Multiobjective Operation of Cascade Reservoirs Considering Different Ecological Flows
Authors: Hong Kunhui , Ma Aixing , Hu Yin , Zhang Wei , Cao Mingxiong
Published: October 2024

Reservoir scheduling is an important and effective measure to optimize water resource allocation. It effectively mitigates issues such as regional water scarcity and ecological degradation and plays a crucial role in supporting sustainable water resource development. The Yellow River has experienced severe water scarcity, and the increasing human water demand in recent decades has significantly reduced the river’s ecological flow, causing significant ecological damage. Balancing the benefits of ecological flow, hydropower generation, and water supply and selecting appropriate ecological flow levels for different hydrological years is a major challenge for reservoir operators. This paper aims to integrate ecological flow into reservoir management standards by investigating the competition and reasonable coexistence between reservoir benefits and ecology in water-scarce regions. A multiobjective reservoir ecology management model was proposed to study the effects of different ecological flow levels on hydropower generation, water supply, and storage. Using the LYX and LJX reservoirs as a case study, the results illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the model in balancing conflicts among hydropower generation, water supply, storage, and ecology in multi-objective reservoir management. Under basic ecological flow management, hydropower generation and water supply benefits are fully met in typical years, with a significant increase in hydropower generation. Under suitable ecological flow management, hydropower generation and water supply benefits are met only in abundant water years. Considering the impact of storage on management, in typical normal and dry years, under suitable flow management standards, the hydropower generation and water supply guarantee rate targets are approximately 12.49 billion kWh, 96.71%, and 8.22 billion kWh, 96.71%, respectively, promoting efficient water resource utilization and enhancing future drought resilience.
A quantitative bound on Furstenberg–Sárközy patterns with shifted prime power common differences in primes
Authors: Wang Mengdi
Published: October 2024

Let

$$k\ge 1$$

k
≥
1

be a fixed integer and

$${\mathscr {P}}_N$$

P
N

be the set of primes no more than N. We prove that if a set

$$\mathscr {A}\subset {\mathscr {P}}_N$$

A
⊂

P
N

contains no patterns

$$p_1,p_1+(p_2-1)^k$$

p
1

,

p
1

+

(

p
2

-
1
)

k

, where

$$p_1,p_2$$

p
1

,

p
2

are prime numbers, then

$$\begin{aligned} \frac{|{\mathscr {A}}|}{|{\mathscr {P}}_N|}\ll \bigl ( \log \log N \bigr )^{-\frac{1}{4k^3+23k^2}}. \end{aligned}$$

|
A
|

|

P
N

|

≪

(

log
log
N

)

-

1

4

k
3

+
23

k
2

.
Dispersion phenomena in EIS and DIS spectra of porous materials and their representation as transmission line bases ‘diffusion’ elements—part I: a case study of lead-acid systems
Authors: Ryś Piotr , Kowalczyk Jacek , Mroczkowska-Szerszeń Maja , Kaczkan Marcin , Moszczyński Piotr , Pudełko Wojciech , Siekierski Maciej
Published: October 2024

A number techniques exist to assess the porosity of materials, however a large number of them cannot be used to monitor the behaviour of such in ‘live’ systems. This problem can be overcome by the usage of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). However, porous systems and their qualities, can not be easily described using regular equivalent circuit and basic elements. An approximation of such has to be made using transmission lines, which can, in turn, be equated to specific diffusion elements. The parameters of these elements can be related to porous material qualities. And in turn, the changes of these parameters can then be related to various processes—such as ageing or degeneration. In this part of the material a case study was performed on a number of lead-acid systems—a VRLA battery, a maintenance-free one and system consisting of a lead electrode and a platinum mesh counter electrode. This was done in order to test the validity of using the Warburg impedance element in equivalent circuits. During the course of the tests it was found that not only a Gerischer element is a better choice, but the changes in its parameters can be related to different ageing-related processes.
A novel scoring system for predicting disease severity without CT imaging in acute diverticulitis
Authors: Mäntymäki Leena-Mari , Grönroos Juha , Karvonen Jukka , Ukkonen Mika
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Clinical scoring could help physicians identify patients with suspected acute diverticulitis who would benefit from further evaluation using computed tomography imaging. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for complicated acute diverticulitis and create a risk score to predict disease severity in acute diverticulitis.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with CT-verified acute diverticulitis between 2015 and 2017 were included. Data on patients’ clinical and laboratory findings and medical histories were collected retrospectively. Risk factors for complicated acute diverticulitis were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses. Continuous laboratory values were categorised by cut-off points determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The Acute Diverticulitis Severity Score was formulated using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Of the total 513 patients included in the study, 449 (88%) had UAD, and 64 (12%) had CAD. Older age, significant comorbidities, C-reactive protein level, leucocyte count, vomiting, and body temperature were found to be independently associated with a higher risk for CAD. The novel Acute Diverticulitis Severity Score could reliably detect patients with CAD. The area under the ROC curve was 0.856 (p < 0.001) in discriminating disease severity. While higher scores indicate radiological studies, patients with low scores face an almost non-existent risk for complicated disease, making such studies possibly redundant.

Conclusions

The Acute Diverticulitis Severity Score accurately separated patients with uncomplicated disease from those at risk for complicated disease. This score can be applied in daily clinical practice to select patients requiring further investigation, consequently reducing healthcare costs and burdens.
Chronic hearing loss turns out being a calcified chondroid mesenchymal neoplasm with FN1::FGFR2 fusion
Authors: Bauerschmitz Leonard , Agaimy Abbas , Eckstein Markus , Balk Matthias , Iro Heinrich , Schleder Stephan , Schlaffer Sven-Martin , Gostian Antoniu-Oreste
Published: October 2024

A 53 year old female presented with a six-year history of right-sided slow deterioration in hearing and a feeling of pressure in the right ear. The patient had not experienced any pain but reported some paresthesia of the right half of the tongue, whereas no further other cranial nerve deficits were evident. The otoscopy was unremarkable as well as the rest of the clinical ENT examination except for a slight asymptomatic swelling of the right cheek. Imaging findings showed an expansive tumor infiltrating and destroying the right lateral skull base. The tumor was partially composed of cystic/regressive lesions with high contrast media uptake. The tumor had high-signal intensity with water-sensitive sequences (T2w) and was hypointense on T1w images. We performed a tumor resection via a transparotideal-infratemporal approach. Histologically, the tumor was composed of granular variably calcified chondroid matrix with extensive regressive changes and granulation-like tissue reaction associated with calcinosis and crystal deposition. Molecular analysis of the tumor via the TruSight- RNA-Fusion panel detected a fusion involving FN1::FGFR2, consistent with “calcified chondroid mesenchymal neoplasm” (CCMN), a rare tumor entity recently defined by Liu et al 2021. In regular follow-up care no residual tumor has been detected in imaging studies (MRI and CT) within 2 years and 4 months. The biology and consequently the radio sensitivity cannot be defined precisely since long term results are missing due to the first description of this entity in 2021. As a consequence, surgical resection is recommended as the treatment of choice. Thorough clinical and radiological follow-up is mandatory as local recurrences are to be expected due to the infiltrative behavior. In case of a loco regional recurrence the fusion with FGFR2 may represent a therapeutic option for a targeted therapy on molecular level.
Effects of Mepolizumab in the treatment of type 2 CRSwNP: a real-life clinical study
Authors: Orlando Pietro , Vivarelli Emanuele , Minzoni Alberto , Licci Giuseppe , Accinno Matteo , Brugnoli Barbara , Matucci Andrea , Vultaggio Alessandra , Maggiore Giandomenico
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Mepolizumab was recently approved for treating Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP) unresponsive to standard treatment or recurring after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). To date, few studies have assessed Mepolizumab’s efficacy in severe type-2 CRSwNP. Our study aimed to analyze sinonasal outcomes in type-2 CRSwNP patients treated with 100 mg Mepolizumab administered subcutaneously every four weeks.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients with severe, recalcitrant CRSwNP treated with Mepolizumab. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, including age, sex, and comorbidities such as asthma, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-exacerbated respiratory disease (NERD), and allergic rhinitis (AR), as well as the number of previous ESS procedures and the interval since the last one. Patients were evaluated at baseline and after one year for blood eosinophil count, nasal polyp score (NPS), modified Lund-Kennedy score (mLKS), olfactory function (using a VAS scale and a 16-item Sniffin’ identification test), SNOT-22, and sinus opacification on CT scans. The need for rescue ESS or systemic corticosteroids (SCS), response to treatment, and side effects were also recorded.

Results

Data from 27 patients were collected. After one year, all scores showed significant improvement. NERD was the only factor associated with a less favorable improvement in olfactory function. There were no side effects reported, although 2 patients discontinued Mepolizumab as they were considered “non-responders.”

Conclusions

Mepolizumab is safe and effective in reducing the clinical, endoscopic, and radiological burden of disease, as well as in decreasing the need for salvage ESS or systemic steroids.
Impact of proprioceptive cervical dizziness in chronic neck pain syndromes on gait and stance during active head-turn challenges
Authors: Huppert D. , Tsai T. I. , Richter S. , Dunker K. , Gerb J. , Wegener B. , Zwergal R. M. , Wuehr M. , Brandt T.
Published: October 2024

An earlier observational study described selected patients with acute neck pain syndrome, who experienced short bursts of cervical vertigo elicited by rapid head movements. The current study on a larger cohort of 20 patients with chronic or frequently recurring neck pain syndrome and age-matched controls focused on two major questions: (1) Can head movements in subjects with exacerbations of neck pain and restrictions of neck mobility also elicit bursts of vertigo? (2) What is the impact on postural balance measured by analysis of body sway and locomotion? A detailed questionnaire was applied, posture and gait were evaluated by use of instrumented posturography—and gait analysis with and without slow or rapid horizontal head rotations in the yaw plane with and without sight/visual input. All patients reported some or frequent episodes of dizziness in the range of seconds only elicited by rapid, not by slow head movements. Postural sway in patients was unremarkable in undisturbed conditions without head movements, but specifically increased by rapid but not slow head turns. The latter is best explained by the lack of continuous control of velocity and amplitude of saccadic head movements. Gait analysis revealed a slowed and cautious gait pattern already at undisturbed condition that was even exaggerated during rapid head turns. These observations demonstrate that chronic or recurrent neck pain is associated with episodic experiences of dizziness and above results in both chronic and episodic alterations of stance and gait that resemble those described for patients with phobic postural vertigo/persistent postural perceptual dizziness, a functional gait disorder.