bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creep with Low Stress Exponents
Authors: Sandström Rolf
Published: January 2024

Primary creep models predict that at low stresses a stress exponent of 1 can be obtained for dislocation creep. Also experimentally this has been observed for an austenitic stainless steel. The time dependence of the primary creep verifies that it is dislocation creep. An other example is for Al at very high temperatures (Harper-Dorn creep), where at sufficiently low stresses, the stress exponent approaches 1. For both materials higher stresses give larger stress exponents as expected for dislocation creep. Obviously, diffusion and dislocation creep can be competing processes. The validity of creep models at low stresses and high temperatures as well as at high stresses and low temperatures demonstrates their wide range of usage. Since this in reality represents an extensive extrapolation, it can be consider as a direct verification of the basic creep models. In cases for Cu and stainless steels, the predicted creep rate by diffusion creep (Coble) exceeds the observed creep rate as well as the predicted one by dislocation creep by an order of magnitude. The likely explanation is that constrained boundary creep is taken place, i.e. the grain boundary creep rate cannot be essentially faster than that of the bulk.
Axion-like particle (ALP) portal freeze-in dark matter confronting ALP search experiments
Authors: Ghosh Dilip Kumar , Ghoshal Anish , Jeesun Sk
Published: January 2024

Abstract

The relic density of Dark Matter (DM) in the freeze-in scenario is highly dependent on the evolution history of the universe and changes significantly in a non-standard (NS) cosmological framework prior to Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). In this scenario, an additional species dominates the energy budget of the universe at early times (before BBN), resulting in a larger cosmological expansion rate at a given temperature compared to the standard radiation-dominated (RD) universe. To investigate the production of DM in the freeze-in scenario, we consider both standard RD and NS cosmological picture before BBN and perform a comparative analysis. We extend the Standard Model (SM) particle content with a SM singlet DM particle χ and an axion-like particle (ALP) a. The interactions between ALP, SM particles, and DM are generated by higher dimensional effective operators. This setup allows the production of DM χ from SM bath through the mediation of ALP, via ALP-portal processes. These interactions involve non-renormalizable operators, leading to ultraviolet (UV) freeze-in, which depends on the reheating temperature (TRH) of the early universe. In the NS cosmological scenario, the faster expansion rate suppresses the DM production processes, allowing for enhanced effective couplings between the visible and dark sectors to satisfy the observed DM abundance compared to RD scenario. This improved coupling increases the detection prospects for freeze-in DM via the ALP-portal, which is otherwise challenging to detect in RD universe due to small couplings involved. Using an effective field theory set-up, we show that various ALP searches such as in FASER, DUNE, and SHiP, etc. will be able to probe significant parameter space depending on the different model parameters.
Benzomorphan and non-benzomorphan agonists differentially alter sigma-1 receptor quaternary structure, as does types of cellular stress
Authors: Couly Simon , Yasui Yuko , Foncham Semnyonga , Grammatikakis Ioannis , Lal Ashish , Shi Lei , Su Tsung-Ping
Published: January 2024

Sigma-1 receptor (S1R) is a calcium-sensitive, ligand-operated receptor chaperone present on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. S1R plays an important role in ER-mitochondrial inter-organelle calcium signaling and cell survival. S1R and its agonists confer resilience against various neurodegenerative diseases; however, the molecular mechanism of S1R is not yet fully understood. At resting state, S1R is either in a monomeric or oligomeric state but the ratio of these concentrations seems to change upon activation of S1R. S1R is activated by either cellular stress, such as ER-calcium depletion, or ligands. While the effect of ligands on S1R quaternary structure remains unclear, the effect of cellular stress has not been studied. In this study we utilize cellular and an in-vivo model to study changes in quaternary structure of S1R upon activation. We incubated cells with cellular stressors (H2O2 and thapsigargin) or exogenous ligands, then quantified monomeric and oligomeric forms. We observed that benzomorphan-based S1R agonists induce monomerization of S1R and decrease oligomerization, which was confirmed in the liver tissue of mice injected with (+)-Pentazocine. Antagonists block this effect but do not induce any changes when used alone. Oxidative stress (H2O2) increases the monomeric/oligomeric S1R ratio whereas ER calcium depletion (thapsigargin) has no effect. We also analyzed the oligomerization ability of various truncated S1R fragments and identified the fragments favorizing oligomerization. In this publication we demonstrate that quaternary structural changes differ according to the mechanism of S1R activation. Therefore, we offer a novel perspective on S1R activation as a nuanced phenomenon dependent on the type of stimulus.
Minimization of the Buckling Load of a Clamped Plate with Perimeter Constraint
Authors: Carriero Michele , Cito Simone , Leaci Antonio
Published: January 2024

We look for minimizers of the buckling load problem with perimeter constraint in any dimension. In dimension 2, we show that the minimizing plates are convex; in higher dimension, by passing through a weaker formulation of the problem, we show that any optimal set is open and connected. For the higher eigenvalues, we prove that minimizers exist among convex sets with prescribed perimeter.
Carbonservation with Demonstrated Biodiversity and Carbon Gains: Carbon Can Pay But Biodiversity Must Lead
Authors: Bond Anthelia J. , O’Connor Patrick J. , Cavagnaro Timothy R.
Published: January 2024

Land use has a critical role to play in both climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation, and increasingly there have been calls to integrate policies for concurrently meeting Paris Agreement commitments and the UN decade on ecosystem restoration 2021–2030. Currently however, investment activities have been dominated by climate change mitigation activities, including through the development of carbon markets (both voluntary and compliance markets). Whilst climate change mitigation is to be welcomed, the prioritization of carbon in avoided deforestation and reforestation can lead to suboptimal or negative outcomes for biodiversity. Restoration of degraded native vegetation may provide an opportunity for concurrent production of both carbon and biodiversity benefits, by harnessing existing carbon markets without the need to trade-off biodiversity outcomes. Here we demonstrate that carbon sequestered by restoring degraded temperate woodland can pay the price of the restored biodiversity. This is shown using conservative carbon prices in an established market (during both a voluntary and compliance market phase), and the restoration price revealed by a 10-year conservation incentive payment scheme. When recovery rates are high, market prices for carbon could pay the full price of restoration, with additional independent investment needed in cases where recovery trajectories are slower. Using carbon markets to fund restoration of degraded native vegetation thereby provides a solution for constrained resources and problematic trade-offs between carbon and biodiversity outcomes. Multi-attribute markets offer the potential to greatly increase the extent of restoration for biodiversity conservation, while providing an affordable source of carbon sequestration and enhancing economic benefits to landowners.
Diagnostic management of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) in close interaction with therapeutic considerations
Authors: Shumilov Evgenii , Mazzeo Paolo , Ghandili Susanne , Künstner Axel , Weidemann Sören , Banz Yara , Ströbel Philipp , Pollak Matthias , Kolloch Lina , Beltraminelli Helmut , Kerkhoff Andrea , Mikesch Jan-Henrik , Schliemann Christoph , Haase Detlef , Wulf Gerald , Legros Myriam , Lenz Georg , Feldmeyer Laurence , Pabst Thomas , Witte Hanno , Gebauer Niklas , Bacher Ulrike
Published: January 2024

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a rare malignancy derived from plasmacytoid dendritic cells, can mimic both acute leukemia and aggressive T-cell lymphoma. Therapy of this highly aggressive hematological disease should be initiated as soon as possible, especially in light of novel targeted therapies that have become available. However, differential diagnosis of BPDCN remains challenging. This retrospective study aimed to highlight the challenges to timely diagnoses of BPDCN. We documented the diagnostic and clinical features of 43 BPDCN patients diagnosed at five academic hospitals from 2001–2022. The frequency of BPDCN diagnosis compared to AML was 1:197 cases. The median interval from the first documented clinical manifestation to diagnosis of BPDCN was 3 months. Skin (65%) followed by bone marrow (51%) and blood (45%) involvement represented the most common sites. Immunophenotyping revealed CD4 + , CD45 + , CD56 + , CD123 + , HLA-DR + , and TCL-1 + as the most common surface markers. Overall, 86% (e.g. CD33) and 83% (e.g., CD7) showed co-expression of myeloid and T-cell markers, respectively. In the median, we detected five genomic alterations per case including mutational subtypes typically involved in AML: DNA methylation (70%), signal transduction (46%), splicing factors (38%), chromatin modification (32%), transcription factors (32%), and RAS pathway (30%), respectively. The contribution of patients (30%) proceeding to any form of upfront stem cell transplantation (SCT; autologous or allogeneic) was almost equal resulting in beneficial overall survival rates in those undergoing allogeneic SCT (p = 0.0001). BPDCN is a rare and challenging entity sharing various typical characteristics of other hematological diseases. Comprehensive diagnostics should be initiated timely to ensure appropriate treatment strategies.
Connectivity with Uncertainty Regions Given as Line Segments
Authors: Cabello Sergio , Gajser David
Published: January 2024

For a set $${\mathcal {Q}}$$
Q
of points in the plane and a real number $$\delta \ge 0$$

δ
≥
0

, let $${\mathbb {G}}_\delta ({\mathcal {Q}})$$

G
δ

(
Q
)

be the graph defined on $${\mathcal {Q}}$$
Q
by connecting each pair of points at distance at most $$\delta $$
δ
.We consider the connectivity of $${\mathbb {G}}_\delta ({\mathcal {Q}})$$

G
δ

(
Q
)

in the best scenario when the location of a few of the points is uncertain, but we know for each uncertain point a line segment that contains it. More precisely, we consider the following optimization problem: given a set $${\mathcal {P}}$$
P
of $$n-k$$

n
-
k

points in the plane and a set $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
of k line segments in the plane, find the minimum $$\delta \ge 0$$

δ
≥
0

with the property that we can select one point $$p_s\in s$$

p
s

∈
s

for each segment $$s\in {\mathcal {S}}$$

s
∈
S

and the corresponding graph $${\mathbb {G}}_\delta ( {\mathcal {P}}\cup \{ p_s\mid s\in {\mathcal {S}}\})$$

G
δ

(
P
∪

{

p
s

∣
s
∈
S
}

)

is connected. It is known that the problem is NP-hard. We provide an algorithm to exactly compute an optimal solution in $${{\,\mathrm{{\mathcal {O}}}\,}}(f(k) n \log n)$$

O

(
f
(
k
)
n
log
n
)

time, for a computable function $$f(\cdot )$$

f
(
·
)

. This implies that the problem is FPT when parameterized by k. The best previous algorithm uses $${{\,\mathrm{{\mathcal {O}}}\,}}((k!)^k k^{k+1}\cdot n^{2k})$$

O

(

(
k
!
)

k

k

k
+
1

·

n

2
k

)

time and computes the solution up to fixed precision.
Open-source design of integrated circuits
Authors: Fath Patrick , Moser Manuel , Zachl Georg , Pretl Harald
Published: January 2024

This paper presents the design of a self-clocked 12-bit non-binary fully differential SAR-ADC using the SKY130 open-source PDK. The entire mixed-signal circuit design and layout were created with free and open-source software. The ADC reaches a sample rate of up to 1.44 MS/s at 1.8 V supply while consuming 703 $$\upmu$$
μ
W of power on a small 0.175 mm$${}^{2}$$

2

area. A configurable decimation filter can increase the ADC resolution up to 16 bits while using an oversampling factor of 256. A 9‑bit thermometer-coded and 3‑bit binary-coded DAC matrix using a 448 aF waffle-capacitor results in a total capacitance of 1.83 pF per input. Realizations of configurable analog functions using the form factor of SKY130 high-density standard cells allow the parametrization of an analog circuit in a hardware description language and hardening of the macro in an intentionally digital workflow.
The intensity of forest management affects the nest cavity production of woodpeckers and tits in mature boreal forests
Authors: Pakkala Timo , Peltonen Anna , Lindberg Henrik , Hjältén Joakim , Kouki Jari
Published: January 2024

Cavities made by birds are an important microhabitat for many taxa in forests. Long-term dynamics of cavity patterns and the effect of forest management on cavities are, however, largely unknown. We studied cavity production, measured as nest cavity production rates (CPR = no. of new cavities/km2/year), of woodpeckers and tits in forests with different management intensity in southern Finland, based on a data from 37 years. Forests were divided into managed, seminatural and natural stands. The data covered 56 forest stands with the total area of 1690 ha. Stands were inventoried annually for new cavities. The total numbers of woodpecker and tit cavities were 2238 and 329, respectively. There were large differences in CPRs between forest stands with different management intensity. For woodpeckers, the CPR was highest in natural forests (5.7) and lowest in managed forests (1.5). For the tit species, the respective numbers were 0.9 and 0.3. The CPRs of different cavity-making bird species and cavity tree characteristics (e.g. tree condition and species) were consistent, suggesting that different cavity-makers benefit from similar forest and tree characteristics. The results also suggest that forests managed with currently prevailing methods limit the production of cavities. To promote cavities, the results from this and other studies suggest that managed forests should include more features of natural forests, such as more diverse tree species and within-stand structural variability distribution (tree-level heterogeneity), larger amount of decayed wood, more retention trees and snags and longer rotation periods.
Simulation-based assessment of residue management to mitigate N loss risk in winter wheat production
Authors: Rothardt Steffen , Kage Henning
Published: January 2024

Understanding the interactions between nitrogen mineralization in soil and site-specific environmental factors is essential for developing tailored nitrogen management approaches in intensive agricultural systems. This study assesses the potential of residue management strategies to mitigate nitrogen leaching losses, focusing specifically on winter wheat following winter oilseed rape as a commonly practiced crop sequence in Germany with a high risk of N losses during the percolation period (August–March). Special attention has been given to the interactions of the proposed measures with extreme weather conditions that may become more frequent due to climate change. A well-established plant-soil process model implemented in the HUME modeling environment was used to evaluate the effects of incorporating, removing, or replacing oilseed rape residues with winter wheat straw at 10 sites over 25 years. Results highlight that precipitation exerts a greater influence on nitrogen leaching than local soil properties across the selected study sites. Winter wheat straw incorporation reduced total net nitrogen mineralization during fall by an average of 12 kg N ha−1 compared to the common practice of keeping the preceding crop residues. Surprisingly, the treatment effects on nitrogen leaching losses fall short of the expectation of a site-specific significant reduction. Most of the initial excess nitrogen remains in the upper layers of the soil profile accessible to wheat roots during the growth period, even in years of exceptional percolation. Nitrogen limitation due to persistent immobilization after winter wheat straw incorporation could not be effectively compensated, resulting in negative yield effects of about 11 ± 5 kg N ha−1. However, this treatment reduced the nitrogen surplus after spring droughts on average by 9.6 ± 4 kg N ha−1. Also, considering a farmer’s perspective, where the potential improvement in nitrogen efficiency must outweigh the additional costs of labor and machinery required to remove or replace residues, the results indicate that retaining the preceding crop residues is currently the most effective approach to mitigate nitrogen losses. Additionally, the study underscores the significance of accounting for site-specific and management-induced mineralization when estimating fertilizer demand to optimize agronomic productivity while minimizing the risk of nutrient losses through leaching.
Unusual Sequence of the Critical Magnetic Fields $$H_{c1}$$, $$H_{c2}$$, and $$H_{c}$$ in Multicomponent Superconductors
Authors: Ovchinnikov Yu.N. , Efremov D.V.
Published: January 2024

All superconductors in a magnetic field are characterized by three critical magnetic fields: lower critical $$H_{c1}$$

H

c
1

, upper critical $$H_{c2}$$

H

c
2

and thermodynamic critical field $$H_{c}$$

H
c

. Only two sets of inequalities $$H_{c2}>H_c>H_{c1}$$

H

c
2

>

H
c

>

H

c
1

or $$H_{c1}>H_c>H_{c2}$$

H

c
1

>

H
c

>

H

c
2

are possible in a single-component superconductor. Here, we report our study of the critical fields in multicomponent superconductors with two superconducting components in the framework of the Ginzburg-Landau functional. We derive the relationship between the phases of the components of the superconducting complex order parameter from the charge conservation law in explicit form and insert it into the Ginzburg-Landau functional. Using the modified Ginzburg-Landau equation, we acquire the single vortex state including the analytical expression for asymptotics. Also, we obtain the analytical form for the state in the upper critical field. We find that in some cases an unusual sequence of critical fields $$H_{c1},H_{c2}>H_c$$

H

c
1

,

H

c
2

>

H
c

can be realized in multicomponent superconductors.
Existence results for a class of two-fold saddle point parabolic differential equations
Authors: Acevedo Ramiro , Anacona Wilson , Gómez Christian
Published: January 2024

We propose and analyze an abstract framework to study the well-posedness for a family of linear degenerate parabolic augmentedmixed equations.We combine the theory for linear degenerate parabolic problems with results about stationary two-fold saddle point equations to deduce sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a solution for the problem. Finally, we show some applications of the developed theory through examples that come from fluid dynamic and electromagnetic problems.
Nocturnal Seafaring: the Reduction of Visibility at Night and its Impact on Ancient Mediterranean Seafaring. A Study Based on 8–4th Centuries BC Evidence
Authors: Mauro Chiara Maria , Durastante Fabio
Published: January 2024

The practice of nocturnal navigation in the Mediterranean Sea could be inferred from both archaeological and written records. While there is sufficient proof that the ships and their crew were quite familiar with nighttime sailing, current scholarship has not satisfactorily investigated how the reduction of visibility could have affected the nautical practice. For this reason, the aim of this contribution is twofold: (1) to evaluate to what extent visibility was reduced at night, and (2) to understand what kind of strategies (if any) could be put in place to overcome the difficulties of a low level of visibility. Amongst the strategies, we will also assess the impact on visibility of fixed and portable lighting devices, such as torches and pierced amphoras, as documented by the archaeological and literary evidence.
Short-Term Metabolic Changes and Their Physiological Mediators in the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Zhao Siyu , Hörkkö Sohvi , Savolainen Markku J. , Koivukangas Vesa , Mäkinen Ville-Petteri , Ala-Korpela Mika , Hukkanen Janne
Published: January 2024

Background

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a common bariatric surgery to treat obesity. Its metabolic consequences are favourable and long-term clinical corollaries beneficial. However, detailed assessments of various affected metabolic pathways and their mediating physiological factors are scarce.

Methods

We performed a clinical study with 30 RYGB patients in preoperative and 6-month postoperative visits. NMR metabolomics was applied to profiling of systemic metabolism via 80 molecular traits, representing core cardiometabolic pathways. Glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin, and apolipoprotein B-48 were measured with standard assays. Logistic regression models of the surgery effect were used for each metabolic measure and assessed individually for multiple mediating physiological factors.

Results

Changes in insulin concentrations reflected those of BMI with robust decreases due to the surgery. Six months after the surgery, triglycerides, remnant cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B-100 were decreased −24%, −18%, and −14%, respectively. Lactate and glycoprotein acetyls, a systemic inflammation biomarker, decreased −16% and −9%, respectively. The concentrations of branched-chain (BCAA; leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and aromatic (phenylalanine and tyrosine) amino acids decreased after the surgery between −17% for tyrosine and −23% for leucine. Except for the most prominent metabolic changes observed for the BCAAs, all changes were almost completely mediated by weight change and insulin. Glucose and type 2 diabetes had clearly weaker effects on the metabolic changes.

Conclusions

The comprehensive metabolic analyses indicate that weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity during the 6 months after the RYGB surgery are the key physiological outcomes mediating the short-term advantageous metabolic effects of RYGB.

The clinical study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT01330251.

Graphical Abstract
Micro-Mechanical Fracture Investigations on Grain Size Tailored Tungsten-Copper Nanocomposites
Authors: Schmuck K. , Burtscher M. , Alfreider M. , Wurmshuber M. , Kiener D.
Published: January 2024

Tungsten-copper composites are used in harsh environments because of their superior material properties. This work addresses a tungsten-copper composite made of 20 wt.% copper, which was subjected to grain refinement by high-pressure torsion, whereby the deformation temperature was varied between room temperature and 400 °C to tailor the grain size. Deformation was performed up to microstructural saturation and verified by hardness measurement and scanning electron microscopy. From the refined nanostructured material, micro-cantilever bending beams with cross-sections spanning from 5 × 5 to 35 × 35 µm2 were cut to examine possible size effects and the grain size influence on the fracture behavior. Fracture experiments were performed in situ inside a scanning electron microscope by applying a quasi-static loading protocol with partial unloading steps. Inspection of the fracture surfaces showed that all cantilevers failed in an inter-crystalline fashion. Nevertheless, remaining coarser tungsten grains impacted the resultant fracture toughness and morphology. Cantilevers fabricated from the 400 °C specimen exhibited a fracture toughness of 220 $$\pm $$
±
50 $$\frac{{\text{J}}}{{{\text{m}}}^{2}}$$

J

m

2

. For the room temperature cantilevers, a fracture toughness of 410 $$\pm $$
±
50 $$\frac{{\text{J}}}{{{\text{m}}}^{2}}$$

J

m

2

was observed, which declined to 340 $$\pm $$
±
30 $$\frac{{\text{J}}}{{{\text{m}}}^{2}}$$

J

m

2

for cantilevers < 10 × 10 µm2, confirming a size effect. The increased fracture toughness is attributed to the delamination-like structures formed in the room temperature sample.
The Underexplored Topic of Females who Perpetrate Child Sexual Abuse Material Offenses: What do we know about this Offending Group?
Authors: Christensen Larissa S. , Woods Jodie
Published: January 2024

Despite the emerging field of research on females who engage in contact child sexual abuse offenses, we know little about females who engage in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses. This is concerning given the global proliferation of CSAM and recent research identifying female-perpetrated CSAM offending is more prominent than previously thought. This paper contributes to the underdeveloped field, by offering a beneficial and timely stop gap of current research on women who engage in CSAM offenses. In doing so, the synthesis explores the prevalence of females who engage in CSAM, why some females might perpetrate CSAM offenses (including co-offending, prior victimization, mental health, opportunity, and sexual motivation), the harms of female-perpetrated CSAM offending, and how the media portrays this offending group. To further extend our knowledge in this field, ideas for future research are also provided throughout. This paper should be useful for various disciplines including psychology, criminology, and law, globally, who are interested in better understanding CSAM offenses perpetrated by females.
Association between patients’ word use and symptom reduction in an internet-based cognitive behavioral intervention for prolonged grief symptoms: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Schmidt Viktoria , Treml Julia , Linde Katja , Peterhänsel Carolin , Kersting Anette
Published: January 2024

Bereaved by suicide face unique challenges and have differences in their language compared to bereaved by other causes of death, however their language during therapy has not been studied yet. This study investigates the association between patients’ language and reduction in prolonged grief symptoms in an internet-based intervention for people bereaved by suicide. Data stems from a randomized controlled trial including 47 people completing self-reported surveys. Patient language was analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program. Symptom change was determined through absolute change scores. Stepwise forward regression and repeated measures analyses of variances were calculated. During confrontation, a higher reduction of prolonged grief symptoms was predicted by more words describing perceptual (β = − 0.43, p = .002) and cognitive processes (β = − 0.63, p = .002) and less present focus words (β = 0.66, p = .002). During cognitive restructuring, more words describing drives (β = − 0.40, p = .004), less past focus words (β = 0.59, p = .002) and less informal language (β = 0.40, p = .01) predicted a higher reduction of prolonged grief symptoms. Lastly, during behavioral activation, more past focus words (β = − 0.54, p = .002) predicted a higher grief reduction. Findings underline the importance of exposure and cognitive restructuring during therapy and further suggest the relevance of the previously not studied linguistic perceptual processes. Moreover, this study emphasizes the importance of different tenses throughout the intervention, adding knowledge to previous studies assessing time at a single point in therapy.
PrivAgE: A Toolchain for Privacy-Preserving Distributed Aggregation on Edge-Devices
Authors: Liebenow Johannes , Imort Timothy , Fuchs Yannick , Heisel Marcel , Käding Nadja , Rupp Jan , Mohammadi Esfandiar
Published: January 2024

Valuable insights, such as frequently visited environments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, can oftentimes only be gained by analyzing sensitive data spread across edge-devices like smartphones. To facilitate such an analysis, we present a toolchain called PrivAgE for a distributed, privacy-preserving aggregation of local data by taking the limited resources of edge-devices into account. The distributed aggregation is based on secure summation and simultaneously satisfies the notion of differential privacy. In this way, other parties can neither learn the sensitive data of single clients nor a single client’s influence on the final result. We perform an evaluation of the power consumption, the running time and the bandwidth overhead on real as well as simulated devices and demonstrate the flexibility of our toolchain by presenting an extension of the summation of histograms to distributed clustering.
A framework for dynamic modelling of railway track switches considering the switch blades, actuators and control systems
Authors: Dutta Saikat , Harrison Tim , Ward Christopher , Dixon Roger , Winship Phil
Published: January 2024

The main contribution of this paper is the development and demonstration of a novel methodology that can be followed to develop a simulation twin of a railway track switch system to test the functionality in a digital environment. This is important because, globally, railway track switches are used to allow trains to change routes; they are a key part of all railway networks. However, because track switches are single points of failure and safety-critical, their inability to operate correctly can cause significant delays and concomitant costs. In order to better understand the dynamic behaviour of switches during operation, this paper has developed a full simulation twin of a complete track switch system. The approach fuses finite element for the rail bending and motion, with physics-based models of the electromechanical actuator system and the control system. Hence, it provides researchers and engineers the opportunity to explore and understand the design space around the dynamic operation of new switches and switch machines before they are built. This is useful for looking at the modification or monitoring of existing switches, and it becomes even more important when new switch concepts are being considered and evaluated. The simulation is capable of running in real time or faster meaning designs can be iterated and checked interactively. The paper describes the modelling approach, demonstrates the methodology by developing the system model for a novel “REPOINT” switch system, and evaluates the system level performance against the dynamic performance requirements for the switch. In the context of that case study, it is found that the proposed new actuation system as designed can meet (and exceed) the system performance requirements, and that the fault tolerance built into the actuation ensures continued operation after a single actuator failure.
Digitale Mediennutzung von Schülerinnen und Schülern im Fremdsprachenunterricht der Primarschule
Authors: Totter Alexandra , Keller-Lee Marlies , Rast Christine
Published: January 2024

Lehrmitteln wird eine zentrale Rolle zur Steuerung des Unterrichts und bei Veränderungen im Bildungssystem zugeschrieben. Mittlerweile stehen für verschiedene Fächer multimedial-interaktive digitale Lehrmittel zur Verfügung. Allerdings fehlen bislang empirische Studien, die den Umgang mit diesen im Unterricht und die damit verbundene digitale Mediennutzung untersuchen. In der hier vorgestellten Videostudie wurde die Unterrichtspraxis in zwei fünften Primarschulklassen untersucht, für die ein digitales Französischlehrmittel zur Verfügung stand und die digitale Mediennutzung der Schülerinnen und Schüler konkretisiert. Dazu wurden Videodaten von zwölf Französischlektionen vollständig hinsichtlich Sozialformen und Medieneinsatz codiert. Phasen, in denen ein digitaler Medieneinsatz erfolgte, wurden weiter bezüglich ihrer handlungsorientierten Mediennutzung konkretisiert. Dabei zeigte sich, daβ die Verwendung der analogen Version des Lehrmittels dominierte und die im digitalen Lehrmittel zur Verfügung gestellten Aufträge oft mit Hilfe primär analoger Medien bearbeitet wurden. Potenziale digitaler Medien für den Fremdsprachenunterricht wurden von den Schülerinnen und Schülern im Bereich Multimedialität und zur kreativen Gestaltung von Dokumenten genutzt. Mit Fokus auf die Lehrmittelnutzungsforschung bestätigten die Ergebnisse der Studie die Rolle des Lehrmittels zur Steuerung des Unterrichts, zeigten aber gleichzeitig, daβ die Nutzung digitaler Lehrmittel noch stark von einer Verwendung traditioneller Medien im Unterricht beeinflusst wird. Gleichzeitig konnte durch die Analyse der handlungsorientierten Mediennutzung die Vielschichtigkeit von digitalen Medienhandlungsprozessen deutlich gemacht werden, die von der Handhabung der Hardware und der Programme über die Rezeption und Produktion hin zur Reflexion reicht, aber auch gegenseitige Hilfe und Ablenkung einschließt. Die hier vorgestellten empirischen Erkenntnisse sollen somit einen Beitrag zum aktuellen Diskurs des unterrichtlichen Medienhandelns von Schülerinnen und Schülern leisten.
LCA and LCC Analysis of the Recovering and Reusing Scenario of Metal-Plastic Process Scraps
Authors: La Rosa Angela Daniela , Carvalho Ramon , Dias Marco , Paulo Vitor
Published: January 2024

The paper investigates the environmental and economic benefits of the possible scenario of recovering and reusing a process scrap in closed loop, by means of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) method. As case study a manufacturing process of a large company based in Portugal was utilized. The company demand is to possibly innovate the manufacturing process of one of their products that currently generates non-recyclable scraps when it fails quality control. Before taking decisions, the company wants to assess the environmental and economic benefits of possibly recycling those scraps, as they currently generate waste destined for landfills. The product consisting of a plastic household containing metal inserts was analyzed “from cradle to grave,” from raw material extraction to end of life. According to the ISO standards ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2018, four phases: Goal and Scope, Life Cycle Inventory (LCI), Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA), and final Interpretation, are reported. SimaPro 9.3 software and Ecoinvent v3 database were used for the assessment. A future scenario where the metal inserts could be easily removed from the plastic household, allowing the complete recycle and reuse of both types of components, was assumed and assessed for a LCA and LCC comparison with the current state. The results highlighted minor benefit from recovering the process scrap but significative benefit when this scenario is extended to the post-consumer end of life. This study will enrich the scientific literature with primary data collected at a company site and will enhance the knowledge needed to develop links between the top-down process that led to the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the bottom-up knowledge, data, and methodology in the life-cycle sustainability assessment to help businesses and governments integrating the SDGs into their decision-making processes.
Characterization of wild yeasts isolated from cereal sourdoughs and their potential for leavening wheat dough
Authors: Kasegn Melaku Mekonen , Abrha Getachew Tafere , Weldemichael Micheale Yifter , Berhanu Addisu Dessalegn , Semere Tesfakiros , Bayratsion Yemane Tsehaye , Menghistu Habtamu Taddele , Weldeabzgi Lijalem Tareke , Kassa Abraha Birhan , Mesele Etsay , Yaekob Ashenafi Teklay , Mossa Mohammed Mebrahtu , Haftu Samson Zemikael , Gebremedhn Hailay Mehari , Meresa Birhanu Kahsay , Redda Yisehak Tsegaye
Published: January 2024

Fermentation of cereal-made dough was the primary Ethiopian food for many years. Sourdough is believed to have many beneficial fermenting micro-floras depending on the source of dough and environmental conditions. The study aimed to isolate and characterize yeasts from fermenting cereal dough and evaluate their leavening potential for wheat dough. Morphological and biochemical characterizations such as sugar fermentation, glucose tolerance test, growth at different pH and temperatures, and agitation effect were employed to select potent yeasts. Accordingly, 16 potential yeast isolates were selected and subjected to further analysis. Finally, the yeasts were tested and compared for their leavening activity on the wheat dough at 37 °C and room temperature. Results revealed marvelous CO2 producer mesophile yeasts that degrade various sugars and tolerate up to 60% glucose concentration. The overall characterization assigned all the yeast isolates to the genus Saccharomyces and the Candida humilis. ANOVA showed that leavening activity by the yeast isolates was statistically higher at 37 °C compared to room temperature. The highest dough volume (6.2 mL) was recorded from Wh17, Wh5, and Ba12 isolates. Sor9 isolates were among the yeast that raised a minimum dough volume (0.7 mL). In contrast to commercial yeasts, the present study detected exceptional yeasts that matured within 24 h. Therefore, the discovered potential yeasts can be used for leavening dough in a short fermentation time and add aroma to baked products, making them a candidate in the baking industry. It could also be cost-effective as it could reduce media consumption and electricity utilization.
The Economics of Airlines
Authors: Bilotkach Volodymyr
Published: January 2024

The airline industry is fundamental to the workings of the global economy. Yet, ironically for an industry of such sheer scale and economic muscle, profit margins are razor thin and many airlines struggle to break even. The precarious economics of the sector were fully revealed when Covid-19 grounded flights across the world prompting many national carriers to seek government bailouts, while smaller airlines collapsed.

In this updated and expanded new edition Volodymyr Bilotkach explains the economic realities of the airline industry and the challenges that the sector now faces after the seismic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact of such a large-scale external shock on the industry is considered across each of its sectors and for each of its primary economic determinants. The book also includes new material on changes to cost structures, the pricing of add-on services, cargo, airport slot allocation and the impact of climate change.

The book remains a comprehensive introduction to the economics of airlines, how carriers compete, how they develop their business, and how demand and cost structure, coupled with the complex regulatory regime, produces the industry we see today.
The Pursuit of Governance
Authors: Tassinari Fabrizio
Published: January 2024

Although there is no overt ideological battle in the twenty-first century, citizens in every latitude register growing dissatisfaction with the results delivered by their governments. In the West they increasingly turn to populist forces to seek an easy respite to the frustration caused by the failures of democracy. Other models of governance, such as China's 'autocratic capitalism', rest on technocratic command and control methods that are disdained in the West but whose global appeal is growing mostly due to their perceived ability to deliver. No matter how and where they are practised, these alternatives seem to offer only partial and unsatisfactory answers to increasingly complex questions of governance. In a world ravaged by pandemics and climate crises, migration flows and cyberwars, rigid rule-making imparted from above or populist over-simplifications brewing from below can only represent the extremes of a more sophisticated picture of governing processes.

In this book, Fabrizio Tassinari seeks to rediscover the methods, practices and limits of good governance. By taking inspiration from the Nordic region, where democratic governance has delivered some of its most impressive feats, he shows that populism and technocracy are not the causes of our political malaise; they represent skewed by-products of the most basic instincts in our body politic. They need not be suppressed but channelled and reconciled in our practices of governing.
On the stability of a pair of vortex rings
Authors: Wadas Michael , Balakrishna Subramaniam , LeFevre Heath , Kuranz Carolyn , Towne Aaron , Johnsen Eric
Published: January 2024

The growth of perturbations subject to the Crow instability along two vortex rings of equal and opposite circulation undergoing a head-on collision is examined. Unlike the planar case for semi-infinite line vortices, the zero-order geometry of the flow (i.e. the ring radius, core thickness and separation distance) and by extension the growth rates of perturbations vary in time. The governing equations are therefore temporally integrated to characterize the perturbation spectrum. The analysis, which considers the effects of ring curvature and the distribution of vorticity within the vortex cores, explains several key flow features observed in experiments. First, the zero-order motion of the rings is accurately reproduced. Next, the predicted emergent wavenumber, which sets the number of secondary vortex structures emerging after the cores come into contact, agrees with experiments, including the observed increase in the number of secondary structures with increasing Reynolds number. Finally, the analysis predicts an abrupt transition at a critical Reynolds number to a regime dominated by a higher-frequency, faster-growing instability mode that may be consistent with the experimentally observed rapid generation of a turbulent puff following the collision of rings at high Reynolds numbers.
Generalised Jeffery's equations for rapidly spinning particles. Part 2. Helicoidal objects with chirality
Authors: Dalwadi M.P. , Moreau C. , Gaffney E.A. , Walker B.J. , Ishimoto K.
Published: January 2024

In this two-part study, we investigate the motion of rigid, active objects in shear Stokes flow, focusing on bodies that induce rapid rotation as part of their activity. In Part 2, we derive and analyse governing equations for rapidly spinning complex-shaped particles – general helicoidal objects with chirality. Using the multiscale framework that we develop in Part 1 (Dalwadi et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 979, 2024, A1), we systematically derive emergent equations of motion for the angular and translational dynamics of these chiral spinning objects. We show that the emergent dynamics due to rapid rotation can be described by effective generalised Jeffery's equations, which differ from the classic versions via the inclusion of additional terms that account for chirality and other asymmetries. Furthermore, we use our analytic results to characterise and quantify the explicit effect of rotation on the effective hydrodynamic shape of the chiral objects, expanding significantly the scope of Jeffery's seminal study.
Inside the Black Box: Uncovering Dynamics and Characteristics of the Chilean Central Government Bureaucracy with a Novel Dataset
Authors: Brieba Daniel , Herrera-Marín Mauricio-René , Riffo Marcelo , Garrido Danilo
Published: January 2024

This article examines bureaucracies using a novel dataset of Chilean central government employees from 2006 to 2020. Unlike perception-based sources, this dataset provides objective, disaggregated, and longitudinal insights into bureaucrats’ characteristics and careers. The authors validate it against official employment statistics and conduct an exploratory and descriptive analysis, presenting six descriptive findings about the Chilean bureaucracy that cannot be discovered using available aggregate data. The analysis reveals significant degrees of personnel stability and professionalization in the civil service, but with considerable rigidity in careers and substantial interagency heterogeneity in turnover, wages, and exposure to political cycles. These findings suggest that the Chilean national bureaucracy is mostly well developed along Weberian lines, though not uniformly so. These measurements also serve as a benchmark for comparing other Latin American bureaucracies in the future.
A “Church of / for Poetry”: Revue Aguedal and The Friends of Amazigh Literature
Authors: Boum Aomar
Published: January 2024

This article examines the literary and spiritual initiatives undertaken by Henri Bosco and his collaborators, notably Captain Léopold Justinard, in interwar colonial Morocco. Focusing on the Revue Aguedal, inaugurated by Bosco in Rabat in 1935, I highlight the revue's primary role as a cultural conduit between French and indigenous Amazigh and Arab intellectuals. Bosco's concept of a “poetic church,” championed by contributors such as René Guénon and Ahmed Sefriou, sought to document, safeguard, and translate Amazigh and North African literature. Although the Aguedal literary project experienced interruptions during World War II, it accentuated indigenous perspectives through sections like “Propos du Chleuh,” overseen by Justinard. I also underscore Bosco's simultaneous advocacy for French culture, challenging stereotypical colonial narratives while amplifying Amazigh voices within them. Despite financial challenges leading to the revue's demise after the war, the literary circle fostered enduring literary relationships and left an indelible mark on the nexus of colonial scholarship, literature, and spirituality.
Reading Slimane Azem as a Poet of Wisdom
Authors: Bedrani Ghalia
Published: January 2024

The celebrated Kabyle singer Slimane Azem is known as a poet of exile due to his expatriation in France. His mastery of the mother tongue is inherited from both the Kabyle oral tradition and great poets such as Si Moh Oumhand. His repertoire tackles a variety of themes such as freedom, exile, culture and identity, in songs that celebrate peace and tolerance. His poems “Syadi L3uqal,” “Si Moh Yenna-d” and “A Yul-iw Utub” are calls for self salvation through reliance on both God and origins. Others such as “A Taqbaylit a Tigejdit” and “Ssut n Tsekrin” reconsider the status of women in Kabyle society, and “A Wid Ijebden Leqlam” vindicates the Kabyle identity. Though Azem is an engaged poet, his texts are devoid of provocative language, and this is what distinguishes him from many other Kabyle singers. This article aims to study Azem's transcendence of violent language in songs that convey revolt against entrenched social, cultural and political issues. In particular, it analyzes his work in reference to Paul Baltes's psychological implicit theory of wisdom, distills seven properties of wisdom. His principles are prominent in Azem's songs which venerate ancestral values of respect, peace and equality on all levels.
NON TAMEN INSECTOR: YOUR MUSE NO MORE (PROPERTIUS 4.7.49–50)
Authors: Paul Joshua M.
Published: January 2024

This note on Propertius 4.7 argues that Cynthia, repeatedly cast in the role of the poet's Muse, rejects the burden of inspiration through a learned choice of words (non tamen insector, 4.7.49). The verb insector constitutes a clear reference to the invocation of the Camena in Livius Andronicus and of the Muse in Ennius. Cynthia recalibrates the parlance of poetic inspiration to end her relationship with Propertius, both as his puella and as his Muse.
THE HIDDEN SOURCE OF THE NILE IN NEMESIANUS, CYNEGETICA 68
Authors: Nickbakht Mehran A.
Published: January 2024

This note suggests a new emendation for the spurious verb bibunt in Nemesianus, Cynegetica 68. The passage should read Nilique latentem in origine fontem.
On a variant of the product replacement algorithm
Authors: Leedham-Green C.R.
Published: January 2024

We discuss a variant, named ‘Rattle’, of the product replacement algorithm. Rattle is a Markov chain, that returns a random element of a black box group. The limiting distribution of the element returned is the uniform distribution. We prove that, if the generating sequence is long enough, the probability distribution of the element returned converges unexpectedly quickly to the uniform distribution.