bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fear of war and mental health in Germany
Authors: Hajek A. , Kretzler B. , König H. H.
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The objective of this study was to clarify the association between fear of war (both conventional war and nuclear war) and mental health (in terms of probable depression and probable anxiety).

Methods

Data were used from the general adult population in Germany (n = 3091 individuals; 15th March–21st March 2022). Probable depression and probable anxiety were both quantified using validated tools (PHQ-9/GAD-7). Multiple logistic regressions were used, adjusting for several sociodemographic, lifestyle-related and health-related factors.

Results

In total, 23.1% of the individuals had probable depression and 16.0% of the individuals had probable anxiety. Multiple logistic regression showed that the likelihood of probable depression was positively associated with fear of a conventional war (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.14–1.37). Furthermore, it was associated with fear of a nuclear war (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.12–1.33). Additionally, regressions showed that the likelihood of probable anxiety was positively associated with fear of a conventional war (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.49–1.86). Moreover, it was associated with fear of a nuclear war (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.39–1.71).

Conclusions

Our findings stress the importance of fear of war for mental health in the general adult population in Germany. Upcoming research in this area is necessary.
Residual-based cointegration and non-cointegration tests for cointegrating polynomial regressions
Authors: Wagner Martin
Published: November 2022

Cointegrating polynomial regressions (CPRs), i.e., regressions that include deterministic terms, integrated processes and powers of integrated processes as explanatory variables and stationary errors, have become prominent in several fields of applications, e.g., in the analysis of environmental Kuznets curves. A key issue, as always in cointegration analysis, is testing for the presence or absence of a cointegrating relationship. This paper discusses two complementary tests: one with the null hypothesis of cointegration and one with the null hypothesis of the absence of cointegration. It is shown that (inter alia) for the empirically most relevant case, in which only one of the integrated regressors occurs as regressor also with higher powers, critical values can be simulated and are provided for a variety of specifications. Finally, the usage of the tests is illustrated for the environmental Kuznets curve for carbon and sulfur dioxide emissions. The illustration also investigates the sensitivity of the test decisions with respect to kernel and bandwidth choices, sample size and data vintage.
Reproductive biology of female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in New Zealand waters
Authors: Palmer Emily I. , Betty Emma L. , Murphy Sinéad , Perrott Matthew R. , Smith Adam N. H. , Stockin Karen A.
Published: November 2022

Reproductive biology was assessed in 106 female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) examined post-mortem from stranding and bycatch events along the New Zealand coastline between 1997 and 2019. The average age (ASM) and length (LSM) at sexual maturity was estimated at 7.5 years and 183.5 cm, respectively. The total number of corpora in mature individuals increased with age and appeared to persist throughout life. Ovarian asymmetry was apparent, with the left ovary displaying higher rates of ovulation, and a maximum of 19 corpora recorded for a 24-year-old female. The estimated ovulation and annual pregnancy rates for mature females were 0.39 year−1 and 30%, respectively. Conception and calving occurred year-round, with a weak seasonal increase observed in late austral spring and early austral summer. As these data did not clearly show whether seasonality was present, the gestation, lactation, and resting periods were calculated as either 12.6 or 12.8 months based on the presence/absence of seasonality, respectively. Similarly, calving interval ranged from 3.15 to 3.2 years, depending upon whether seasonality was considered. The estimated LSM of the New Zealand population aligns with other populations globally, although the estimated ASM is younger by approximately 6 months. Other reproductive parameters align with Northern Hemisphere populations, although demonstrate variation, which may reflect adaptations to local conditions such as water temperature and prey availability. As the species is subject to anthropogenic impacts including pollution and bycatch, we suggest our findings be used as a baseline with which to monitor trends in population parameters.
Comparison of image quality between a novel mobile CT scanner and current generation stationary CT scanners
Authors: Andersson Henrik , Tamaddon Ashkan , Malekian Mazdak , Ydström Kristina , Siemund Roger , Ullberg Teresa , Wasselius Johan
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Point-of-care imaging with mobile CT scanners offers several advantages, provided that the image quality is satisfactory. Our aim was to compare image quality of a novel mobile CT to stationary scanners for patients in a neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

From November 2020 to April 2021, all patients above 18 years of age examined by a mobile CT scanner at a neurosurgical ICU were included if they also had a stationary head CT examination during the same hospitalization. Quantitative image quality parameters included attenuation and noise in six predefined regions of interest, as well as contrast-to-noise ratio between gray and white matter. Subjective image quality was rated on a 4-garde scale, by four radiologists blinded to scanner parameters.

Results

Fifty patients were included in the final study population. Radiation dose and image attenuation values were similar for mobCT and stationary CTs. There was a small statistically significant difference in subjective quality rating between mobCT and stationary CT images. Two radiologists favored the stationary CT images, one was neutral, and one favored mobCT images. For overall image quality, 14% of mobCT images were rated grade 1 (poor image quality) compared to 8% for stationary CT images.

Conclusion

Point-of-care brain CT imaging was successfully performed on clinical neurosurgical ICU patients with small reduction in image quality, predominantly affecting the posterior fossa, compared to high-end stationary CT scanners.
Sex differences in perceived expectations of the outcome of total hip and knee arthroplasties and their fulfillment: an observational cohort study
Authors: Latijnhouwers Daisy A. J. M. , Vlieland Thea P. M. Vliet , Marijnissen Willem Jan , Damen Pieter-Jan , Nelissen Rob G. H. H. , Gademan Maaike G. J. ,   The Longitudinal Leiden Orthopaedics Outcomes of Osteoarthritis Study (LOAS) Group, van der Linden H. M. J. , Kaptein B. L. , Verdegaal S. H. M. , Kaptijn H. H. , Vehmeijer S. B. W. , Onstenk R.
Published: November 2022

The influence of sex on preoperative expectations and their fulfillment following total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) remains unexplored. We investigated differences between men and women in perceived preoperative expectations on the outcome of THA/TKA and their fulfillment 1 year postoperatively. We performed a cohort study. Expectations were collected preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively using the Hospital for Special Surgery Hip/Knee Replacement Expectations Surveys (HSS-HRES/KRES; not applicable = 0, applicable: back to normal = 1, much = 2/moderate = 3/slight improvement = 4). Fulfillment of expectations was calculated by subtracting preoperative from postoperative scores (score < 0:unfulfilled; score ≥ 0:fulfilled). We included patients with “applicable” expectations. Chi-square and ordinal regression were used to compare expectations and fulfillment regarding sex. 2333 THA (62% women) and 2398 TKA (65% women) patients were included. 77% of THA and 76% of TKA patients completed the HSS-HRES/HSS-KRES both preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. Men more often perceived items as “applicable”, with differences in 9/20 (HSS-HRES) and 9/19 (HSS-KRES) preoperative items and, respectively, 12/20 (HSS-HRES) and 10/19 (HSS-KRES) postoperative items. The largest differences (> 10%) were found in sexual activity and working ability. 16/20 (HSS-HRES) and 14/19 (HSS-KRES) items showed an increased probability of having higher preoperative expectations of ≥ 10%, in favor of men. In all items, 60% of the respondents indicated that their expectation was fulfilled. Differences were observed in 16/20 (HSS-HRES) and 6/19 (HSS-KRES) items in favor of men. Sex differences were present in expectations and fulfillment, with higher applicability of items, preoperative expectations and fulfillment in men, especially on items related to functional activities.

Trial registration: Trial-ID NTR3348.
Comparison of maximum-sized visually guided laser balloon and cryoballoon ablation
Authors: Ohkura Takashi , Yamasaki Takashi , Kakita Ken , Hattori Tetsuhisa , Nishimura Tetsuro , Iwakoshi Hibiki , Shimoo Satoshi , Shiraishi Hirokazu , Matoba Satoaki , Senoo Keitaro
Published: November 2022

Balloon ablation therapy has recently been used for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Laser balloons possess the property in which the balloon size can be changed. Standard laser balloon ablation (Standard LBA) was followed by additional ablation using a maximally extended balloon (Extended LBA) and its lesion characteristics were compared to cryoballoon ablation (CBA), another balloon technology. From June 2020 to July 2021, patients with paroxysmal AF who underwent an initial pulmonary vein (PV) isolation were enrolled. Sixty-five patients with paroxysmal AF were included, 32 in the LBA and 33 in the CBA group. To measure the isolated surface area after the ablation procedures, left atrial voltage mapping was performed after Standard LBA, Extended LBA, and CBA. The baseline patient characteristics did not differ between LBA and CBA. Extended LBA could successfully increase the isolated area more than Standard LBA for all four PVs. Compared to CBA, the isolated area of both superior PVs was significantly greater with Extended LBA (left superior PV: 8.5 ± 2.1 vs 7.3 ± 2.4, p = 0.04, right superior PV: 11.4 ± 3.7 vs 8.7 ± 2.7, p < 0.01), and thus the non-isolated posterior wall (PW) was smaller (8.5 ± 3.4 vs 12.4 ± 3.3, p < 0.01). Nevertheless, changes in the cardiac injury markers were significantly lower with LBA than CBA. There was no significant correlation between the cardiac injury level and isolated area in both groups. In conclusion, Extended LBA exhibited a significantly greater isolation of both superior PVs and resulted in a smaller non-isolated PW, but the cardiac injury markers were significantly suppressed as compared to CBA.
Non-operative management of acute appendicitis in children
Authors: Jumah Soma , Wester Tomas
Published: November 2022

Appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies in children and adults. Appendectomy as the standard care has been challenged in the recent years with growing evidence about non-operative treatment as a potential primary treatment in patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute appendicitis. This review aims to establish where the recent research stands regarding conservative treatment of acute appendicitis, especially in children. There are several studies that report the potential safety and efficacy of treating acute appendicitis non-operatively. Several studies have challenged the concept of acute appendicitis being a progressive disease that always ends in perforation, rather than a disease that can present as different forms with only a defined number of cases progressing to perforation. The lack of randomized controlled studies is a limitation and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the role of non-operative management of acute appendicitis in children.
Long-term results after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon versus hamstring tendon autograft with a minimum follow-up of 10 years—a systematic review
Authors: Sollberger V. D. , Korthaus A. , Barg A. , Pagenstert G.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

A lot of research addresses superiority of the two commonly used autografts bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) and hamstring tendon for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, without getting to consensus. While there are numerous studies and reviews on short- to mid-term follow-up, not much literature is available on long-term follow-up. As patients suffering ACL injuries are often of young age and high athletic activity, it is crucial to have the best evidence possible for graft choice to minimize consequences, like osteoarthritis later on.

Materials and methods

A search of the online databases, PubMed and Embase, was carried out last on 31st March 2022 for studies comparing BPTB and hamstring tendon (HT) autografts for ACL reconstruction in human patients with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. The methodological quality of each study has been evaluated using the modified Coleman Methodology Score. Results on the three variables patient-oriented outcomes, clinical testing and measurements and radiographic outcomes were gathered and are presented in this review.

Results

Of 1299 records found, nine studies with a total of 1833 patients were identified and included in this systematic review. The methodological quality of the studies ranged from a Coleman Score of 63–88. Many studies reported no or only few statistically significant differences. Significant results in favour of BPTB were found for activity levels and for instrumented laxity testing with the KT-1000 arthrometer. Better outcomes for HT were found in IKDC-SKF, the KOOS, donor site morbidity, pivot shift test, radiographic osteoarthritis (IKDC C or D) and contralateral ACL rupture. No studies presented significant differences in terms of Lysholm Score or Tegner Activity Score, Lachman test, single-legged hop test, deficits in range of motion, osteoarthritis using the Kellgren and Lawrence classification or graft rupture.

Conclusion

We cannot recommend one graft to be superior, since both grafts show disadvantages in the long-term follow-up. Considering the limitation of our systematic review of no quantitative analysis, we cannot draw further conclusions from the many insignificant results presented by individual studies.

Level of evidence: IV.
The genomic analysis of current-day North African populations reveals the existence of trans-Saharan migrations with different origins and dates
Authors: Lucas-Sánchez Marcel , Fadhlaoui-Zid Karima , Comas David
Published: November 2022

The Sahara Desert has acted as a barrier to human gene-flow between the northern and central parts of Africa since its aridification. Nonetheless, some contacts between both sides of the desert have occurred throughout history, mainly driven by commercial activity. Part of this was the infamous trans-Saharan slave trade, which forcedly brought peoples from south of the Sahara to North Africa from Roman times until the nineteenth century. Although historical records exist, the genetic aspects of these trans-Saharan migrations have not been deeply studied. In the present study, we assess the genetic influence of trans-Saharan migrations in current-day North Africa and characterize its amount, geographical origin, and dates. We confirm the heterogeneous and generally low-frequency presence of genomic segments of sub-Saharan origin in present-day North Africans acquired in recent historical times, and we show evidence of at least two admixture events: one dated around the thirteenth–fourteenth centuries CE between North Africans and a Western-sub-Saharan-like source similar to current-day Senegambian populations, and another one dated around the seventeenth century CE involving Tunisians and an Eastern-sub-Saharan-like source related to current-day south-Sudan and Kenyan populations. Time and location coincide with the peak of trans-Saharan slave-trade activity between Western African empires and North African powers, and are also concordant with the possibility of continuous recent south-to-north gene-flow. These findings confirm the trans-Saharan human genetic contacts, providing new and precise evidence about its possible dates and geographical origins, which are pivotal to understanding the genomic composition of an underrepresented region such as North Africa.
Erholungs-Beanspruchungs-Zustand im Rettungsdienst während der ersten beiden Wellen der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie
Authors: Schumann Heiko , Botscharow Julia , Thielmann Beatrice , Böckelmann Irina
Published: November 2022

Hintergrund

Die Balance zwischen Belastungsempfinden und Erholung der Einsatzkräfte im Rettungsdienst während des Diensts und in der Freizeit ist ein wesentlicher Indikator für die psychische und physische Gesundheit. Sie gewährleistet Erfolg in der notfallmedizinischen Versorgung und ist gleichzeitig auch ein gesundheitspolitischer, ökonomischer Faktor für jede Organisation. Das Ziel der Studie war es, den Erholungs-Beanspruchungs-Zustand des Rettungsdienstpersonals während der ersten und zweiten Welle der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie zu analysieren.

Material und Methoden

Die quantitative Querschnittstudie umfasst 1936 Datensätze von Einsatzkräften (334 Frauen und 1602 Männer, Durchschnittsalter 34,9 ± 10,5 Jahre). Die Onlinebefragung während der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie erfolgte während der ersten Welle 2020 (t1) und der zweiten Welle 2021 (t2). Es wurde die Kurzform EBF-24/A (Testform S2) des Erholungs-Belastungs-Fragebogens (EBF) nach Kallus angewendet.

Ergebnisse

Im Verlauf der beiden Erhebungsphasen nahm die Dimension Beanspruchung signifikant zu (t1: 2,52 ± 0,98 und t2: 2,88 ± 1,04 Punkte, p < 0,001) und die Erholung signifikant ab (t1: 2,98 ± 0,90 und t2: 2,64 ± 0,89 Punkte, p < 0,001). Ähnliches bot sich auch für die dazugehörigen Subskalen mit Ausnahme der Subskala „erholsamer Schlaf“ der Dimension Erholung (t1: 2,81 ± 1,36 und t2: 2,72 ± 1,36 Punkte).

Schlussfolgerung

Die seit Anfang 2020 bestehende SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie verdeutlicht, dass das Belastungserleben von der ersten zur zweiten Welle zugenommen und das Empfinden der Erholung für Einsatzkräfte im Rettungsdienst abgenommen hat. Die Studie bietet eine Einordnung zur gegenwärtigen Situation des Erholungs-Beanspruchungs-Zustands im deutschen Rettungsdienst und erlaubt Prognosen über Leistung und Gesundheit in Pandemiesituationen. Dabei ist davon auszugehen, dass die Verschlechterung des Ist-Zustands nicht einzig nur aus dem Arbeitskontext resultiert, sondern gleichzeitig ein Spiegelbild der Ressourcenausstattung darstellt, die sich aus der Gesamtheit der Einflüsse des Individuums ableitet.
Outside options in neutral allocation of discrete resources
Authors: Pycia Marek , Utku Ünver M.
Published: November 2022

Serial dictatorships have emerged as the canonical simple mechanisms in the literature on the allocation of indivisible goods without transfers. They are the only neutral and group-strategy-proof mechanisms in environments in which agents have no outside options and hence no individual rationality constraints (Svensson in Soc Choice Welfare 16:557–567, 1999). Accounting for outside options and individual rationality constraints, our main result constructs the class of group-strategy-proof, neutral, and non-wasteful mechanisms. These mechanisms are also Pareto efficient and we call them binary serial dictatorships. The abundance of the outside option—anybody who wants can opt out to get it—is crucial for our result.
Bar Attendance and Alcohol Use Before and After COVID-19 Related Restrictions Among HIV-infected Adults in South-Western Uganda
Authors: Asiimwe Caroline , Fatch Robin , Cheng Debbie M. , Emenyonu Nneka I. , Ngabirano Christine , Muyindike Winnie R. , Hahn Judith A.
Published: November 2022

Alcohol use is especially problematic for people living with HIV (PLWH) and was likely to be impacted by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its restrictions. In a study of PLWH with latent tuberculosis infection, we measured unhealthy alcohol use with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), phosphatidylethanol (PEth) and bar attendance. We analyzed data collected before and after COVID-19 restrictions, and used Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) logistic regression models to evaluate changes in unhealthy alcohol use. While bar attendance declined from 57.0% before to 38.3% after the restrictions started, multivariable analysis controlling for bar use showed a significant increase in unhealthy alcohol use; the adjusted odds ratio for unhealthy drinking before versus after the restrictions started was 1.37 (95% CI: 0.89–2.12) which increased to 1.64 (95% CI: 1.08–2.50) when bar attendance was added to the model. Decline in bar attendance did not decrease unhealthy alcohol use.
Regularized impurity reduction: accurate decision trees with complexity guarantees
Authors: Zhang Guangyi , Gionis Aristides
Published: November 2022

Decision trees are popular classification models, providing high accuracy and intuitive explanations. However, as the tree size grows the model interpretability deteriorates. Traditional tree-induction algorithms, such as C4.5 and CART, rely on impurity-reduction functions that promote the discriminative power of each split. Thus, although these traditional methods are accurate in practice, there has been no theoretical guarantee that they will produce small trees. In this paper, we justify the use of a general family of impurity functions, including the popular functions of entropy and Gini-index, in scenarios where small trees are desirable, by showing that a simple enhancement can equip them with complexity guarantees. We consider a general setting, where objects to be classified are drawn from an arbitrary probability distribution, classification can be binary or multi-class, and splitting tests are associated with non-uniform costs. As a measure of tree complexity, we adopt the expected cost to classify an object drawn from the input distribution, which, in the uniform-cost case, is the expected number of tests. We propose a tree-induction algorithm that gives a logarithmic approximation guarantee on the tree complexity. This approximation factor is tight up to a constant factor under mild assumptions. The algorithm recursively selects a test that maximizes a greedy criterion defined as a weighted sum of three components. The first two components encourage the selection of tests that improve the balance and the cost-efficiency of the tree, respectively, while the third impurity-reduction component encourages the selection of more discriminative tests. As shown in our empirical evaluation, compared to the original heuristics, the enhanced algorithms strike an excellent balance between predictive accuracy and tree complexity.
Variational satisfiability solving: efficiently solving lots of related SAT problems
Authors: Young Jeffrey M. , Bittner Paul Maximilian , Walkingshaw Eric , Thüm Thomas
Published: November 2022

Incremental satisfiability (SAT) solving is an extension of classic SAT solving that enables solving a set of related SAT problems by identifying and exploiting shared terms. However, using incremental solvers effectively is hard since performance is sensitive to the input order of subterms and results must be tracked manually. For analyses that generate sets of related SAT problems, such as those in software product lines, incremental solvers are either not used or their use is not clearly described in the literature. This paper translates the ordering problem to an encoding problem and automates the use of incremental solving. We introduce variational SAT solving, which differs from incremental solving by accepting all related problems as a single variational input and returning all results as a single variational output. Variational solving syntactically encodes differences in related SAT problems as local points of variation. With this syntax, our approach automates the interaction with the incremental solver and enables a method to automatically optimize sharing in the input. To evaluate these ideas, we formalize a variational SAT algorithm, construct a prototype variational solver, and perform an empirical analysis on two real-world datasets that applied incremental solvers to software evolution scenarios. We show, assuming a variational input, that the prototype solver scales better for these problems than four off-the-shelf incremental solvers while also automatically tracking individual results.
Towards effective assessment of steady state performance in Java software: are we there yet?
Authors: Traini Luca , Cortellessa Vittorio , Di Pompeo Daniele , Tucci Michele
Published: November 2022

Microbenchmarking is a widely used form of performance testing in Java software. A microbenchmark repeatedly executes a small chunk of code while collecting measurements related to its performance. Due to Java Virtual Machine optimizations, microbenchmarks are usually subject to severe performance fluctuations in the first phase of their execution (also known as warmup). For this reason, software developers typically discard measurements of this phase and focus their analysis when benchmarks reach a steady state of performance. Developers estimate the end of the warmup phase based on their expertise, and configure their benchmarks accordingly. Unfortunately, this approach is based on two strong assumptions: (i) benchmarks always reach a steady state of performance and (ii) developers accurately estimate warmup. In this paper, we show that Java microbenchmarks do not always reach a steady state, and often developers fail to accurately estimate the end of the warmup phase. We found that a considerable portion of studied benchmarks do not hit the steady state, and warmup estimates provided by software developers are often inaccurate (with a large error). This has significant implications both in terms of results quality and time-effort. Furthermore, we found that dynamic reconfiguration significantly improves warmup estimation accuracy, but still it induces suboptimal warmup estimates and relevant side-effects. We envision this paper as a starting point for supporting the introduction of more sophisticated automated techniques that can ensure results quality in a timely fashion.
Face-to-Face with the Doctor Online: Phenomenological Analysis of Patient Experience of Teleconsultation
Authors: Grīnfelde Māra
Published: November 2022

The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has considerably accelerated the adoption of teleconsultation—a form of consultation between patient and health care professional that occurs via videoconferencing platforms. For this reason, it is important to investigate the way in which this form of interaction modifies the nature of the clinical encounter and the extent to which this modification impacts the healing process. For this purpose, I will refer to insights into the clinical encounter as a face-to-face encounter drawn from the phenomenology of medicine (R. Zaner, K. Toombs, E. Pellegrino). I will also take into account a criticism that has been expressed by various contemporary phenomenologists (H. Dreyfus, T. Fuchs, L. Dolezal, H. Carel), namely, that due to the lack of physical proximity to the other in all types of online encounters, such encounters lack significant features that are present in face-to-face encounters, with the most important of these being the possibility of attaining an empathetic perception of the other and a sense of embodied risk. As these elements are essential features of the clinical encounter, the aim of this paper is to determine whether teleconsultation exhibits these features. To do that, I will integrate phenomenological philosophy with qualitative research drawing materials from both the philosophical tradition, particularly with respect to the concepts of the face-to-face encounter and embodied risk (A. Schutz and H. Dreyfus), and qualitative research study regarding patient experiences of teleconsultation. I will argue that teleconsultation does involve both the possibility of perceiving the other empathetically and the possibility of experiencing a sense of embodied risk.
Modeling spatial point processes in video-imaging via Ripley’s K-function: an application to spatter analysis in additive manufacturing
Authors: Colosimo Bianca Maria , Pagani Luca , Grasso Marco
Published: November 2022

For an increasing number of applications, the quality and the stability of manufacturing processes can be determined via image and video-image data analysis and new techniques are required to extract and synthesize the relevant information content enclosed in big sensor data to draw conclusions about the process and the final part quality. This paper focuses on video image data where the phenomena under study is captured by a point process whose spatial signature is of interest. A novel approach is proposed which combines spatial data modeling via Ripley’s K-function with Functional Analysis of Variance (FANOVA), i.e., Analysis of Variance on Functional data. The K-function allows to synthesize the spatial pattern information in a function while preserving the capability to capture changes in the process behavior. The method is applicable to quantities and phenomena that can be represented as clusters, or clouds, of spatial points evolving over time. In our case, the motivating case study regards the analysis of spatter ejections caused by the laser-material interaction in Additive Manufacturing via Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). The spatial spread of spatters, captured in the form of point particles through in-situ high speed machine vision, can be used as a proxy to select the best conditions to avoid defects (pores) in the manufactured part. The proposed approach is shown to be not only an efficient way to translate the high-dimensional video image data into a lower dimensional format (the K-function curves), but also more effective than benchmark methods in detecting departures from a stable and in-control state.
Decomposition Behavior of Stereocomplex PLA Melt-Blown Fine Fiber Mats in Water and in Compost
Authors: Kara Yahya , Molnár Kolos
Published: November 2022

This study introduces systematic and comparative investigations of various PLA fine fiber mats prepared by melt blowing. A series of PLLA and PDLA melt-blown fibers from various L and D enantiomers blends were produced. Their morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties were studied, and their decomposition in water and compost was investigated. It was found that the 1:1 ratio blend with stereocomplex crystals had an 80% lower average fiber diameter, 60% higher specific strength and better thermal stability than the PLLA and PDLA fiber mats. In the case of composting, the crystalline peak melting temperature, crystallinity, and thermogravimetric decomposition temperatures marginally decreased after 14 days. The high surface of the fine fiber mats played a crucial role in fast decomposition, as they entirely disintegrated in less than only 40 days. In the case of water, the homocrystalline domains were more susceptible to hydrolysis than the stereocomplex ones. All the PLA fiber mats underwent decomposition and extensive disintegration for 70 days in water. Hydrolysis reduced the amorphous and crystalline fraction of the fibers via surface and bulk erosion, while the decomposition of stereocomplex-crystalline-rich domains mainly exhibited surface erosion. Findings revealed that high porosity and the high surface area of PLA melt-blown fine fiber mats undergo fast decomposition in compost and in water.

Graphical Abstract
Image parallel block compressive sensing scheme using DFT measurement matrix
Authors: Wang Zhongpeng , Jiang Yannan , Chen Shoufa
Published: November 2022

Compressive sensing (CS)-based image coding has been widely studied in the field of image processing. However, the CS-based image encoder has a significant gap in image reconstruction performance compared with the conventional image compression methods. In order to improve the reconstruction quality of CS-based image encoder, we proposed an image parallel block compressive sensing (BCS) coding scheme, which is based on discrete Cosine transform (DCT) sparse basis matrix and partial discrete Fourier transform (DFT) measurement matrix. In the proposed parallel BCS scheme, each column of an image block is sampled by the same DFT measurement matrix. Due to the complex property of DFT measurement matrix, the compressed image data is complex. Then, the real part and imaginary part of the resulting BCS data are quantized and transformed into two bit streams, respectively. At the reconstruction stage, the resulting two bit streams are transformed back into two real signals using inverse quantization operation. The resulting two real signals are combined into one complex signal, which is served as the input data of the CS reconstructed algorithm. The theoretical analysis based on minimum Frobenius norm method demonstrates that the proposed DFT measurement matrix outperforms the other conventional measurement matrices. The simulation results show that the reconstructed performance of the proposed DFT measurement matrix is better than that of the other conventional measurement matrices for the proposed parallel BCS. Specifically, we analyzed the impact of quantization on the reconstruction performance of CS. The experiment results show that the effect of the quantization on reconstruction performance in BCS framework can nearly be ignored.
A rigorous deterministic global optimization approach for the derivation of secondary information in digital maps
Authors: Eder Michael , Skibinski Sebastian , Ulbrich Michael
Published: November 2022

We derive a generic system that constructs an optimization model for an emergency stop scenario on the highway, based on map data from high definition maps that are used in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and in Highly Automated Driving (HAD). New additional situative and scenario-based information is computed by applying a global maximization approach to the model. For this purpose, we develop two new rigorous and deterministic branch-and-bound algorithms that both determine the certified global optimal value up to a predefined tolerance. The underlying interval optimization algorithm, which uses first-order techniques, is enhanced by one of two second-order methods that are applied for specifically selected intervals. We investigate two approaches that either compute a concave overestimator for the objective function or approximate the function with a quadratic polynomial using Taylor expansion. We show the limits of interval arithmetic in our problem, especially for the interval versions of the derivatives, and present a local linearization of the curve data that improves the results significantly. The presented novel method for deriving secondary information is compared to state of the art methods on two exemplary and for the automotive context representative scenarios to show the advantages of our approach.
A Study to Assess the Performance of Disaster Management During the 2017 Yongji County Flood in China
Authors: Pang Deliang , Zhang Xinxin , Zhang Jian
Published: November 2022

In 2017, Yongji County, which is located in Jilin Province, China, was devastated by its worst floods for generations. Consequently, the people of Yongji County suffered losses due to both the natural disaster and the deficiencies of disaster management. The aim of this research was to evaluate the factors that influenced the experiences of victims to provide insights into the performance of disaster management. Statistical analysis was employed to describe the functions and role of disaster management in the 2017 Yongji County flood. The Logistic regression also was adopted to explore the association between the performance and outcomes of disaster management experienced by victims, and gender, age, profession, frequency of disasters, the efficiency of defense measures, the efficiency of rescue, the loss of property, the degree of normal life and productivity recovery, the satisfaction of governmental compensation, the degree of disaster information disclosure, the government attitudes, the mechanism of accountability, and public safety education. This paper is among the first studies to identify the factors that affect victims’ perceptions in assessing the performance of disaster management hosted by local government. Hence, this research makes an important contribution in assisting policymakers and officers in local government to improve performance in dealing with natural and environmental disasters.
Sticky PDMP samplers for sparse and local inference problems
Authors: Bierkens Joris , Grazzi Sebastiano , Meulen Frank van der , Schauer Moritz
Published: November 2022

We construct a new class of efficient Monte Carlo methods based on continuous-time piecewise deterministic Markov processes (PDMPs) suitable for inference in high dimensional sparse models, i.e. models for which there is prior knowledge that many coordinates are likely to be exactly 0. This is achieved with the fairly simple idea of endowing existing PDMP samplers with “sticky” coordinate axes, coordinate planes etc. Upon hitting those subspaces, an event is triggered during which the process sticks to the subspace, this way spending some time in a sub-model. This results in non-reversible jumps between different (sub-)models. While we show that PDMP samplers in general can be made sticky, we mainly focus on the Zig-Zag sampler. Compared to the Gibbs sampler for variable selection, we heuristically derive favourable dependence of the Sticky Zig-Zag sampler on dimension and data size. The computational efficiency of the Sticky Zig-Zag sampler is further established through numerical experiments where both the sample size and the dimension of the parameter space are large.
PCMIgr: a fast packet classification method based on information gain ratio
Authors: Cheng Yuzhu , Shi Qiuying
Published: November 2022

To solve the problem of ambiguous attribute selection in existing decision tree classification algorithms, a decision tree construction method based on information entropy, PCMIgr, is proposed. PCMIgr is a heuristic method based on greedy strategy. At each decision tree node, when it is necessary to select classification attributes for division, the attribute with the highest information gain ratio is selected. The main innovation of this method is that the attribute selection in the traditional classification method based on decision tree is optimized, and the classification efficiency of the constructed decision tree is improved compared with that before optimization. At the same time, the decision tree ensures that each leaf node is only associated with one rule, which avoids the common problem of "rule replication" in the process of traditional decision tree construction, and effectively saves memory and calculation time. The experimental results show that the application of this method to the construction of classification decision tree can further improve the efficiency of packet classification method based on decision tree, and can be applied to high-speed real-time packet classification.
The role of economic conditions and sustainable rural development on the sustainability of tourism development: evidence from China
Authors: Xue Chenlei , Tu Yu-Te , Ananzeh Mohammed , Aljumah Ahmad Ibrahim , Trung Lam Minh , Ngo Thanh Quang
Published: November 2022

At present, tourism is counted among those industries which have gained global attention due to rapid growth. Hence, a constant diversification in terms of destination is needed in tourism development. The recent trends of industry highlight the demand of alternative tourism types, among which nature-related tourism appears to be an emerging concept. In this regard, the present article investigates the impact of economic conditions and sustainable rural development on the sustainability of tourism development in China. The current research has gathered secondary data from the World Bank from 1981 to 2020. The quartile autoregressive distributed lag model has been applied to test the association between the variables. The results revealed that GDP, inflation, FDI, exchange rate, energy use, gross savings, and sustainable rural development have a significant and positive association with the sustainability of tourism development in China. Findings offer managerial implications recommending the local government to focus on the sustainability of rural development and economic conditions that may lead to the implementation of tourism-related development projects. This study also guides the policymakers in establishing policies related to tourism development using different economic conditions and sustainable rural development.
Environmental assessment of a disruptive innovation: comparative cradle-to-gate life cycle assessments of carbon-reinforced concrete building component
Authors: Backes Jana Gerta , Traverso Marzia , Horvath Arpad
Published: November 2022

Purpose

How to build in more environmentally sustainable manner? This issue is increasingly coming to the fore in construction sector, which is responsible for a relevant share of resource depletion, solid waste, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Carbon-reinforced concrete (CRC), as a disruptive innovation of composite building material, requires less resources and enables new forms — but does it make CRC more environmentally sustainable than steel-reinforced concrete (SRC)? This article aims to assess and compare the environmental impact of 45 material and production scenarios of a CRC with a SRC double wall.

Methods

The life cycle assessment method (LCA) is used to assess environmental impacts. The functional unit is a double wall and the reference flows are 1 m3 for concrete and 1 kg for fiber. CML methodology is used for life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) in the software GaBi© ts 10.0. A sensitivity analysis focuses on electricity grid mixes, concrete mixes, and steel production scenarios.

Results

The midpoint indicator climate change respective global warming potential (in kg CO2e) ranges between 453 kg CO2e and 754 kg CO2e per CRC double wall. A comparable SRC double wall results in emissions of 611–1239 kg CO2e. Even though less raw material is needed for CRC, it does not represent a clear advantage over SRC in terms of climate change. In a comparison, the production of steel (blast furnace vs. electric arc furnace vs. recycled steel) and the choice of cement type are of decisive relevance. For concrete mixes, a mixture of Portland cement and blast furnace slag (CEM III) is beneficial to pure Portland cement (CEM) I. For fiber production, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) has an advantage over epoxy resin (EP) impregnation and the use of renewable energy could reduce emissions of fiber production up to 60%.

Conclusion

CRC requires less material (concrete cover) than SRC, however, exhibits comparable CO2e to SRC — depending on the production process of steel. In the future, fiber production and impregnation should be studied in detail. Since in terms of climate change neither wall (CRC vs. SRC) clearly performs better, the two other pillars of sustainability (economic and social, resulting in LCSA) and innovative building components must be focused on.

Graphical Abstract
Können Kommunen Bildung managen? Gelingensbedingungen und Herausforderungen einer neuen kooperativen Steuerung kommunaler Bildungslandschaften
Authors: Reinhardt Max , Schmiedeberg Eva
Published: November 2022

Dieser Artikel der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. fasst aktuelle Forschung zum Thema Neue Steuerung in Kommunen am Beispiel des Datenbasierten kommunalen Bildungsmanagements zusammen. Die Autoren analysieren mit Hilfe der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring 11 Expert:inneninterviews aus dem kommunalen Bildungsmanagement. Aus der Interpretationsarbeit wird deutlich, dass die neue Steuerung im kommunalen Bildungsmanagement dann am besten funktioniert, wenn die Bildungsmanager:innen sich die Akzeptanz der Leitung neben der horizontalen Akzeptanz der kommunalen Verwaltung und der Bürger:innen z. B. über Gremienarbeit und konkrete Bildungsmaßnahmen erarbeitet haben und das kommunale Bildungsmanagement über ausreichend personelle Ressourcen verfügt.
VX-765 Alleviates β-Amyloid Deposition and Secondary Degeneration in the Ipsilateral Hippocampus and Ameliorates Cognitive Decline after Focal Cortical Infarction in Rats
Authors: Dong Dawei , Ren Aihui , Yang Ying , Su Jiayi , Liu Libin , Zhuo Wenyan , Liang Yubin
Published: November 2022

Focal cortical infarction leads to secondary degeneration of the ipsilateral hippocampus, which is associated with poststroke cognitive impairment. VX-765 is a potent small-molecule caspase-1 inhibitor that protects against central nervous system diseases. The present study aimed to determine the protective effects of VX-765 on β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and secondary degeneration in the hippocampus as well as cognitive decline after cortical infarction. Sprague–Dawley rats were used to establish a distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) model and randomly divided into the vehicle and VX-765 groups. Rats in the vehicle and VX-765 groups, respectively, were subcutaneously injected with VX-765 (50 mg/kg/d) and an isopycnic vehicle once a day for 28 days, starting 1 h after dMCAO. At the end of this 28-day period, cognitive impairment was evaluated with the Morris water maze, and secondary hippocampal damage was evaluated with Nissl staining and immunostaining methods. Neuronal damage and pyroptosis were detected by TUNEL and immunoblotting. The results revealed that VX-765 treatment ameliorated poststroke cognitive dysfunction after ischemia. VX-765 reduced Aβ deposition, neuronal loss, and glial activation compared with the vehicle control. In addition, VX-765 treatment increased BDNF levels and normalized synaptophysin protein levels in the hippocampus after cortical infarction. Notably, VX-765 treatment significantly reduced the expression of the pyroptosis-related molecules caspase-1, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), gasdermin D, IL-1β, and IL-18. Additionally, VX-765 significantly decreased the numbers of TUNEL-positive cells and the levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 (cC3) and enhanced the levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl after ischemia. Inflammatory pathways, such as the NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, were inhibited by VX-765 treatment after ischemia. These findings revealed that VX-765 reduced Aβ deposition, pyroptosis, and apoptosis in the ipsilateral hippocampus, which may be associated with reduced secondary degeneration and cognitive decline following focal cortical infarction.
Prediction of Potential Biomarkers in Early-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Based on Platelet RNA Sequencing
Authors: Xu Yuanji , Chen Lin , Chen Yijian , Ye Wangzhong , Huang Xinyi , Ke Mingyao , Ye Guodong , Lin Liancheng , Dong Kangmei , Lin Zhizhong , Bai Penggang , Chen Chuanben
Published: November 2022

Early diagnosis is essential for the treatment and prevention of nasopharyngeal cancer. However, there is a lack of effective biological indicators for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Therefore, we explored the potential biomarkers in tumour-educated blood platelet (TEP) RNA in early NPC. Platelets were isolated from blood plasma and their RNA was extracted. High-throughput sequenced data from a total of 33 plasma samples were analysed using DESeq2 to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, the DEGs were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), gene ontology (GO) analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis; and Cytoscape, TargetScan, and miRanda software were used for inferring the competing endogenous RNA network. We identified 19 long non-coding (lnc) RNAs (DElncRNAs) and 248 mRNAs (DEmRNAs) that were differentially expressed in the TEP RNA. In addition, SELP gene mRNA and lncRNAs AC092135.3, AC012358.2, AL021807.1, AP001972.5, and GPX1 were found to be down-regulated DEmRNA and DElncRNAs in the early stage of NPC. Bioinformatic analysis showed that these DEmRNAs and DElncRNAs may be involved in regulating the pathogenesis of NPC. Our research may provide new insights for exploring the biological mechanisms of NPC and early diagnosis using potential biomarkers.