bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for ultrasound‐diagnosed endometritis and its impact on fertility in Scottish dairy cattle herds
Authors: McKay Ciara , Viora Lorenzo , Denholm Katharine , Cook John , Belandria Richard Vazquez
Published: June 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for and the impact of ultrasound‐diagnosed endometritis (UDE) on lactating dairy cows’ reproductive performance.

Methods

Data were analysed from 1123 Holstein and Holstein‐Friesian cows from two Scottish dairy farms. A reproductive ultrasound examination was conducted on two occasions, at 43 ± 3 and 50 ± 3 days in milk (DIM), to screen for hyperechoic fluid in the uterus. Statistical analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression modelling and Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

The overall incidence of UDE was 8.8% (99/1123). Risk factors for UDE included calving during autumn/winter seasons, increased parity and the presence of two or more diseases in the first 50 ± 3 days postpartum. The presence of UDE was associated with a reduced odds of pregnancy after all artificial inseminations up to 150 DIM.

Limitations

The retrospective design of this study led to some inherent limitations with the quality and quantity of data collected.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate which risk factors should be monitored in postpartum dairy cows to limit the impact of UDE on future reproductive performance.
PVC polymer/ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposites: Toward improved optical properties
Authors: El‐naggar A. M. , Heiba Zein K. , Kamal A. M. , Abd‐Elkader Omar H. , Abdellatief M. , Mohamed Mohamed Bakr
Published: June 2023

Undoped and doped polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with zinc, nickel and cobalt oxides, ZnO/[(1−x)NiO/xCo3O4], composites were fabricated using co‐precipitation and casting techniques. The different phases present in the nanofiller ZnO/[(1−x)NiO‐xCo3O4] mixed oxides were determined using synchrotron x‐ray diffraction technique. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis techniques were used to investigate the structure, composition, and morphology of pure and loaded PVC with nanofiller oxides. In general, compared with pure PVC, the absorbance was greatly enhanced, especially in the UV region, upon loading ZnO/[(1−x)NiO‐xCo3O4], but it changed irregularly with the cobalt oxide (Co3O4) content (x). The direct and indirect optical band gaps of pristine PVC (4.14, 4.12 eV) reduced irregularly to minimum values 3.97 and 3.23 eV respectively for the polymer doped with ZnO/[0.3NiO/0.7Co3O4]. The refractive index was enhanced in the visible and IR regions and attained its highest value for PVC doped with zinc oxide/nickel oxide (ZnO/NiO) only (x = 0.0). NiO and Co3O4 ratios affect the linear and nonlinear optical parameters. The emitted spectra from pure and doped PVC polymers with the composite oxides [ZnO/[(1−x)NiO‐xCo3O4] under different excitation wavelengths were also explored. The FL intensity enhanced for the excitation wavelengths (λexc) = 380 and 434 nm but quenched for λexc = 317 nm. The loaded polymers absorb UVA, UVB, and UVC rays and are good candidates for solar cell applications.
Nonstationarity in correlation matrices for wind turbine SCADA‐data
Authors: Bette Henrik M. , Jungblut Edgar , Guhr Thomas
Published: June 2023

Modern utility‐scale wind turbines are equipped with a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system gathering vast amounts of operational data that can be used for analysis to improve operation and maintenance of turbines. We analyze high‐frequency SCADA‐data from the Thanet offshore wind farm in the United Kindom and evaluate Pearson correlation matrices for a variety of observables with a moving time window. This renders possible a quantitative assessment of nonstationarity in mutual dependencies of different types of data. We show that a clustering algorithm applied to the correlation matrices reveals distinct correlation structures for different states. Looking first at only one and then at multiple turbines, the main dependence of these states is shown to be on wind speed. This is in accordance with known turbine control systems, which change the behavior of the turbine depending on the available wind speed. We model the boundary wind speeds separating the states based on the clustering solution. Our analysis shows that for high‐frequency data, the control mechanisms of a turbine lead to detectable nonstationarity in the correlation matrix. The presented methodology allows accounting for this with an automated preprocessing by sorting new data based on wind speed and comparing it to the respective operational state, thereby taking the nonstationarity into account for an analysis.
Health as Employability Potential in Business Graduates’ Career Imagination
Authors: Komulainen Katri , Korhonen Maija
Published: June 2023

The chapter investigates how Finnish business graduates construct health as employability potential in their career imagination. Graduates imagined health as employability potential, firstly, in the context of an intensive working life. Having constant physical and emotional energy, as well as the ability to recognise health risks and self-manage these risks, were essential criteria for a healthy employee. Secondly, graduates displayed health in the context of flexible career in which health—as energy, vitality, happiness—was a driving force that guaranteed their top career performance. However, graduates saw their current situation just as one stage on the way to a better future career, which was associated with the ideals of work-life balance. The chapter concludes that health has become a moral duty and personal responsibility at work.
Finnish University Students Constructing Their Ideal Employable Identities: A Case Study of Top Performing Experts
Authors: Hirvonen Inka , Siivonen Päivi , Komulainen Katri
Published: June 2023

The society has a great impact on defining what is a successful employable identity. This means that the construction of employable identity has become crucial to pursuing opportunities in the competitive labour market. In this article, employability is seen as a process where Finnish university students play out an identity project and construct their future-oriented employability. By applying narrative thematical analysis, the study shows that students constructed an ideal employable identity, designated as a Top Performing Expert. The process of constructing this identity contained three phases: 1. employability as a long-term goal, 2. constructing employability in a specific field, and 3. harnessing personality to strengthen employability. The authors suggest that identity process requires each individual’s own activity and problem-solving.
The Affective Life of Neoliberal Employability Discourse
Authors: Handley Karen , Millar Jill
Published: June 2023

This chapter argues that the affective life of neoliberalism should be taken seriously since it permeates the formation of neoliberal reason, including the identification of goals, or ‘happy objects’, to which individuals are encouraged to aspire (Ahmed, The affect theory reader. Duke University Press, Durham North Carolina, 2010; Anderson, Progress in Human Geography, 40, 734–753, 2016). The chapter examines neoliberal practices that shape the subjectivities of university students and encourage their valorisation of the happy object of graduate employability. It shows how some graduates are led to seek employability by learning to ‘play the game’ of displaying qualities they believe employers expect, and by inhabiting a discourse of responsibility and initiative, whilst at the same time becoming more anxious and dependent on the expanding market for employability advice.
Das Erhabene
Authors: Ekweariri Dominic Nnaemeka
Published: June 2023

Dieses Kapitel, das sich mit Richirs Transformation des kantischen Erhabenen beschäftigt – Richir verleiht dem kantischen Erhabenen einen neuen phänomenologischen Sinn –, befasst sich mit der Frage, ob Kants Vernunftidee (der Ort des symbolischen Stifters) in der Einbildungskraft (Richirs „phänomenologisches Feld“) schematisieren kann. Damit das Symbolische sich im phänomenologischen Feld artikulieren kann, muss eine Akzentverschiebung durch eine hyperbolische phänomenologische Epoché geschehen, die die Natur – als rohe Gewalt – als eine Gegebenheit („la donation“) neutralisiert. In diesem Kapitel argumentieren wir, dass das phänomenologische Erhabene – im Gegensatz zu Husserls „transzendentaler Intersubjektivität“ – bei Richir zum Modell menschlicher Erfahrung und Begegnung wird. Dies tun wir mit den folgenden Thesen: Unsere erste These zielt darauf ab, zu zeigen, dass bei Richir die Zusammenwirkung des phänomenologischen mit dem symbolischen Feld für die Möglichkeit der Erfahrung notwendig ist, wobei dabei die Rolle des symbolischen Stifters (absolute Transzendenz, welche die Tradition Gott nennt) von großer Bedeutung ist. Aus dieser ersten These folgt eine zweite These: die Transzendenz ist eine wichtige Bedingung für Selbstkonstitution und Sinneröffnung. Dank der Transzendenz kann sich das leibliche Selbst zum leiblichen Selbst bewegen (z. B. beim Blickaustausch zwischen Mutter und Säugling) – diese Bewegung nennt Richir „phänomenologische Schwingung“ – und somit einen Horizont des Phänomens (Sinnhorizont) eröffnen. Anhand ihrer Virtualität ruft die Transzendenz das Phänomen auf, sich selbst zu übertreffen. Von nun an artikuliert das Phänomen zwei Dimensionen: Es hat einen Fuß im Protoraum des Leibes – dies erinnert an Husserls „Erde“ als Interiorität, die als Protoraum der Erfahrung fungiert – und den anderen im transzendenten Ort des symbolischen Stifters – dies erinnert an Kants „bestirnten Himmel über mir“ als Transzendenz. Deshalb argumentieren wir, dass Richirs Phänomenologie der Erfahrung als ein dualistisches Denken verstanden werden kann.
Leib, Leiblichkeit Und Sinneröffnung
Authors: Ekweariri Dominic Nnaemeka
Published: June 2023

Im ersten Teil dieses Kapitels gehen wir auf die Konsequenzen der hyperbolischen phänomenologischen Epoché für die „Welt“ ein, die dem Leib die Leiblichkeit erschließt. Im zweiten Teil klärt unsere Untersuchung diese weiter auf und verteidigt die These, dass sowohl der Zugang zur Welt anhand der Leiblichkeit als auch die Erlebnisse einzelner Leiber nichts anderes sind, als „Sinneröffnung“, die sich bei Richir in drei Dimensionen („das Sprachliche“ oder le langage, „das Sprachsystem“ oder la langue, „das Jenseits des Sprachlichen“ oder le hors langage) und auf unterschiedlichen Sinnschichten bewegt. Damit wird auch bei der Sinnhaftigkeit das Phänomenologische, das Symbolische und die absolute Transzendenz sichtbar. Im dritten Teil machen wir sichtbar, dass Richirs Leibthematik über die Phänomenologie hinaus auch in aktuelle Debatten über den Status des Selbst in der Neuroethik, Kognitionswissenschaft, oder sogar der Biologie usw. eine starke Intuition einbringen kann. Außerdem werfen wir eine problematische Frage auf, die sich aus Richirs paradoxem Verständnis des Leibes als etwas „Asubjektivem“ ergibt.
From celestial correlators to AdS, and back
Authors: Iacobacci Lorenzo , Sleight Charlotte , Taronna Massimo
Published: June 2023

Abstract

We present a general relation between celestial correlation functions in d-dimensions and Witten diagrams in (d + 1)-dimensional Euclidean anti-de Sitter (EAdS) space, to all orders in perturbation theory. Contact diagram processes are proportional to contact Witten diagrams and particle exchanges can be recast as a continuum of particle exchanges in EAdS where the exchanged particles carrying unitary Principal Series representations of SO(d + 1, 1). One can then try to import familiar EAdS techniques to study the properties of celestial correlators. In this work we use this relation to infer the analytic structure of the spectral density in the conformal partial wave expansion of celestial correlators which, at least perturbatively, should be a meromorphic function of the spectral parameter. We also discuss non-perturbative constraints from unitarity in Euclidean Conformal Field Theory, which requires positivity of the spectral density. This extends similar relations recently uncovered between boundary correlation functions in de Sitter space and Witten diagrams in EAdS, suggesting that EAdS could play a central role in efforts towards holography for all lambdas.
Quantum vacuum effects on the formation of black holes
Authors: Shafiee Moslem , Bahrampour Yousef
Published: June 2023

Abstract

We study the backreaction of quantum fields induced through the vacuum polarization and the conformal anomaly on the collapse of a thin shell of dust. It is shown that the final fate of the collapse process depends on the physical properties of the shell, including its rest and gravitational masses. Investigating the conditions for the formation of black holes, we notice that quantum effects modify the geometry and structure of Schwarzschild space-time in such a way that black holes have two horizons, an inner and an outer horizon. If the gravitational mass of the shell is about that of an ordinary star, then in most cases, the semi-classical collapse will terminate in a singularity, and in general, quantum fluctuations are not strong enough to prevent the creation of the singularity. Although under certain conditions, it is possible to form a non-singular black hole, i.e., a regular black hole. In this way, the collapse stops at a radius much larger than the Planck length below the inner horizon, and the shell bounces and starts an expansion.
Differential fertility, school enrollment, and development
Authors: Zhang Jie , Liu Haoming
Published: June 2023

This paper develops a model wherein parents choose the number of children, enroll some children in school at indivisible education costs, and receive supplemental earnings from uneducated children. The model accounts for the positive relationship between enrollment ratios and parental earnings and the N-shaped relationship between fertility and parental earnings in Brazil and Indonesia. When children’s living costs are high (low) relative to education costs and children’s earnings, fertility increases (decreases) with parental earnings due to a dominant income (substitution) effect. A decline in the ratio of child earnings to parental earnings or a rise in education subsidy rates can increase enrollment ratios and decrease fertility. Under progressive income taxes and favorable education subsidies for poor families, educated parents’ fertility could be higher than that of illiterate parents’ when incomes are low. However, the relationship will be reversed partially because of the rising education subsidy.
Prognostic value of temporal patterns of left atrial reservoir strain in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Abou Kamar S. , Aga Y. S. , de Bakker M. , van den Berg V. J. , Strachinaru M. , Bowen D. , Frowijn R. , Akkerhuis K. M. , Brugts J. J. , Manintveld O. , Umans V. , Geleijnse M. , de Boer R. A. , Boersma E. , Kardys I. , van Dalen B. M.
Published: June 2023

Background

We investigated whether repeatedly measured left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients provides incremental prognostic value over a single baseline LASr value, and whether temporal patterns of LASr provide incremental prognostic value over temporal patterns of other echocardiographic markers and NT-proBNP.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, 153 patients underwent 6-monthly echocardiography, during a median follow-up of 2.5 years. Speckle tracking echocardiography was used to measure LASr. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for LASr from Cox models (baseline) and joint models (repeated measurements). The primary endpoint (PEP) comprised HF hospitalization, left ventricular assist device, heart transplantation, and cardiovascular death.

Results

Mean age was 58 ± 11 years, 76% were men, 82% were in NYHA class I/II, mean LASr was 20.9% ± 11.3%, and mean LVEF was 29% ± 10%. PEP was reached by 50 patients. Baseline and repeated measurements of LASr (HR per SD change (95% CI) 0.20 (0.10–0.41) and (0.13 (0.10–0.29), respectively) were both significantly associated with the PEP, independent of both baseline and repeated measurements of other echo-parameters and NT-proBNP. Although LASr was persistently lower over time in patients with PEP, temporal trajectories did not diverge in patients with versus without the PEP as the PEP approached.

Conclusion

LASr was associated with adverse events in HFrEF patients, independent of baseline and repeated other echo-parameters and NT-proBNP. Temporal trajectories of LASr showed decreased but stable values in patients with the PEP, and do not provide incremental prognostic value for clinical practice compared to single measurements of LASr.

Graphical abstract
The role of the oral cavity in SARS-CoV-2- and other viral infections
Authors: Hoffmann Dieter
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aims to review the role of the oral cavity in SARS-CoV-2- and other viral upper respiratory tract infections.

Material and methods

Data reviewed in the text have been researched online and also reflect personal expertise.

Results

Numerous respiratory and other viruses replicate in the oral cavity and are transmitted via aerosols (< 5 µm) and droplets (> 5 µm). SARS-CoV-2 replication has been documented in the upper airways as well as in oral mucosa and salivary glands. These sites are also virus reservoirs that can infect other organs, e.g., the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, as well as other individuals. Laboratory diagnosis of viruses in the oral cavity and upper airways focuses on real-time PCR; antigen tests are less sensitive. For screening and monitoring infections, nasopharyngeal and oral swabs are tested; saliva is a good and more comfortable alternative. Physical means like social distancing or masks have been proven successful to reduce the risk of infection. Both wet-lab and clinical studies confirm that mouth rinses are effective against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. Antiviral mouth rinses can inactivate all viruses that replicate in the oral cavity.

Conclusions

The oral cavity plays an important role in viral infections of the upper respiratory tract: it serves as a portal of entry, a site of replication, and a source of infection by droplets and aerosols. Physical means but also antiviral mouth rinses can help reduce the spread of viruses and contribute to infection control.
Spatial investigation of water quality and estimation of groundwater pollution along the main stream in the Geum River Basin, Korea
Authors: Choi Hanna , Koh Dong-Chan , Yoon Yoon Yeol
Published: June 2023

This study aims to identify spatially water quality distribution of groundwater and surface water in reservoirs, and comprehensively to address possible influencing factors. The concentration of NO3 in the reservoirs along the main stream of the Geum River was generally lower than that in groundwater. The pollution level of the reservoir, especially the particulate pollutant SS, clearly showed seasonal variations and increased significantly downstream. The H-3 concentration of the groundwater was high in the plains and low in the mountain areas, indicating a difference in residence time between the two regions. The hydrochemical properties and factor loading values of the principal components indicated that the major factors were water‒rock interactions and residence time, but a positive correlation of K-NO3 and Mg-Cl showed the influence of agricultural activities. The main groundwater pollutants were likely to be contributed by agricultural activities at upstream and seawater intrusion at downstream. The sensitive redox species uranium in the groundwater of this region existed as the uranyl ion, and it showed a positive correlation with HCO3, pH, and Ca. The results emphasize the importance of monitoring both tributaries and groundwater together in order to effectively manage the water quality of the Geum River basin.
Leonardo Drone Contest Autonomous Drone Competition: Overview, Results, and Lessons Learned from Politecnico di Milano Team
Authors: Roggi Gabriele , Meraglia Salvatore , Lovera Marco
Published: June 2023

In this paper, the Politecnico di Milano solutions proposed for the Leonardo Drone Contest (LDC) are presented. The Leonardo Drone Contest is an annual autonomous drone competition among universities, which has already seen the conclusion of its second edition. In each edition, the participating teams were asked to design and build an autonomous multicopter, capable of accomplishing complex tasks in an indoor urban-like environment. To reach this goal, the designed systems should be capable of navigating in a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-denied environment with autonomous decision making, online planning and collision avoidance capabilities. In this light, the authors describe the first two editions of the competition, i.e., their rules, objectives and overview of the proposed solutions. While the first edition is presented as relevant for the experience and takeaways acquired from it, the second edition solution is analyzed in detail, providing both the simulation and experimental results obtained.
Young People and Intimate Partner Violence: Experiences of Institutional Support and Services in England
Authors: Barnes Maria , Barter Christine , Herbert Annie , Heron Jon , Feder Gene , Szilassy Eszter
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Young people (YP) are at greater risk of experiencing intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA), with high prevalence rates at 18–25 years and potentially severe short and long-term health and social impacts. YP often view adult support services as not for them and more research is needed to understand effective responses to IPVA among different groups.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews alongside Life History Calendars were undertaken to explore 18 young peoples’ (18–25 years) experiences of community and service level responses to their IPVA between 2019–2020. Thematic analysis and case studies were carried out.

Results

Participant accounts commonly described what did or did not help within: education; primary care physicians and maternity services; third sector or non-government support organisations; and counselling and support workers. YP wanted clearer information on identifying abuse from a younger age in schools and better access and signposting to specialist services. They benefited the most from equal power dynamics in relationships with professionals where they were supported to make their own decisions.

Conclusions

Professionals in all sectors (including schools) need IPVA trauma-informed training that encourages equal power dynamics, with a clear understanding of and access to referral pathways, to be able to respond to the needs of YP experiencing IPVA.
An Extended Range of Energy Stable Flux Reconstruction Methods on Triangles
Authors: Trojak Will , Vincent Peter
Published: June 2023

We present an extended range of stable flux reconstruction (FR) methods on triangles through the development and application of the summation-by-parts framework in two-dimensions. This extended range of stable schemes is then shown to contain the single parameter schemes of Castonguay et al. (J Sci Comput 51:224–256, 2011) on triangles, and our definition enables wider stability bounds to be developed for those single parameter families. Stable upwinded spectral difference (SD) schemes on triangular elements have previously been found using Fourier analysis. We used our extended range of FR schemes to investigate the linear stability of SD methods on triangles, and it was found that a only first order SD scheme could be recovered within this set of FR methods.
Estimation of the Mechanical Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from IR Data
Authors: Polyák Péter , Mackei Fruzsina , Tóth Ágoston , Bredács Márton
Published: June 2023

Despite the sustainability, biodegradability, and biocompatibility of microbial polyesters, as well as their potential to replace polyolefins, the market share of these biopolymers is still marginal. The primary factors that impede the success of microbial polyesters are related to their poor thermal stability and the degradation during processing that negatively affects the mechanical performance of the final product. Due to the complexity of the mechanism of degradation and the vast number of factors that influence the mechanism, the outcome of the degradation cannot be predicted with high confidence. Our present work addresses both difficulties. First, the thermal stability of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) was successfully improved by a stabilizer system based on pomegranate extract. Second, we have developed a computational method that can be used for the estimation of the mechanical properties of processed microbial polyesters from IR data. The computational method is based on an unprecedented hybrid model that incorporates both linear and nonlinear components. The linear component is based on multivariate data analysis and quantizes the correlation between IR data and the extent of degradation. In contrast, the second component consists of a power function in order to be able to describe the nonlinear correlation between the extent of degradation and the mechanical properties. By using the hybrid model, indicators of mechanical performance, such as tensile strength, can be estimated from IR data, which was not achieved before.
The differential impact of uncertainty on the evaluation of material and experiential purchases
Authors: Gallo Iñigo , Miller Chadwick J , Haghighi Nasir , Gilovich Thomas D.
Published: June 2023

Although individuals generally find uncertainty aversive when making purchases, there are decision contexts in which it is viewed more favorably. In this research, we examine whether uncertainty is viewed more positively when people are contemplating a particular type of purchase—when considering experiential rather than material purchases. We propose that uncertainty is more desirable when it comes to the former. Using two lab studies (N = 402, N = 201), a large secondary dataset (N = 3,647), and an evaluation of marketing materials (N = 160), we find that people have a more favorable view of uncertainty when it comes to experiential purchases.
Ion Implantation and Chemical Cycles in the Icy Galilean Satellites
Authors: Strazzulla G. , Palumbo M. E. , Boduch P. , Rothard H.
Published: June 2023

An essential requisite for the appearance and permanence of life on Earth is the onset of a continuous “cycling” of some key atoms and molecules. Cycling of elements probably also occurs on other objects and is driven by biological or a-biological processing. Here we investigate the cycling of some species in the icy Galilean satellites that are exposed to the intense fluxes of energetic particles coming from the Jupiter magnetosphere. Among the most studied effects of particle bombardment, there is the production of molecules not originally present in the sample. These newly synthesized species are irradiated as well and in some circumstances can re-form the original species, giving rise to a “cycle”. Here we discuss the cycling of some atoms (C, N, O, S) incorporated in molecules observed on the surface of the icy Galilean satellites.

The results indicate that cycling of carbon atoms starts with solid elemental carbon. Irradiated in the presence of water ice, carbon dioxide is produced and forms carbonic acid and other organics whose irradiation re-produces carbon dioxide and solid carbon. The effect on nitrogen atoms is limited to a continuous cycle among nitrogen oxides (e.g. NO2 produces NO, and N2O).

Oxygen is mostly incorporated in water ice. When irradiated, the large majority of the water molecular fragments recombine to re-form water molecules.

The sulfur cycle occurs among SO2 (that cannot be produced by ion irradiation only), sulfuric acid and elemental sulfur.

The results are discussed in view of their relevance to the expected space observations of the JWST telescope (NASA, ESA, CSA) and the JUICE (ESA) spacecraft.
Reconnaissance Survey for Potential Energy Storage and Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources of Petroleum Reservoirs in Western Europe
Authors: Attanasi Emil D. , Freeman Philip A.
Published: June 2023

Energy producers and utilities use oil and gas reservoirs for gas storage to meet peak seasonal demand or to supplement intermittent energy production. These reservoirs are also suitable for the long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas. This study reports on a reconnaissance analysis of the potential magnitude of storage resources in 9424 known oil and gas reservoirs from 24 countries within highly industrialized western Europe. To standardize the storage resources of the oil and gas reservoirs, their volumetric capacity is expressed in terms of metric tons (mass) of CO2. Estimates of recoverable oil and gas at the surface are converted to subsurface volumes and then converted to the equivalent mass of CO2 at reservoir conditions. The results indicate 36.7 gigatons of CO2 could be stored, with oil reservoirs accounting for 32% of that total and natural gas reservoirs comprising the remaining 68%. About four-fifths of the reservoir storage resource is offshore, with about three-fourths of that offshore resource at water depths of 200 m or less. Most countries do not have the reservoir storage resources to store 15 years of CO2 at 2017 emission levels. With few exceptions the bulk of the storage is offshore for countries that do have at least 15 years of storage. The expansion of natural gas storage for strategic purposes in abandoned onshore gas reservoirs is not expected to seriously impact CO2 storage. The contribution of this analysis is the description of the spatial distribution of potential storage and physical accessibility.
Recurrence-based reconstruction of dynamic pricing attractors
Authors: Lu Shuixiu , Oberst Sebastian
Published: June 2023

Dynamic pricing depends on the understanding of uncertain demand. We ask the question whether a stochastic system is sufficient to model this uncertainty. We propose a novel paradigm based on statistical analysis of recurrence quantification measures. The paradigm fits nonlinear dynamics by simultaneously optimizing both the determinism and the trapping time in recurrence plots and identifies an optimal time delay embedding. We firstly apply the paradigm on well-known deterministic and stochastic systems including Duffing systems and multi-fractional Gaussian noise. We then apply the paradigm to optimize the sampling of empirical point process data from RideAustin, a company providing ride share service in the city of Austin, Texas, the USA, thus reconstructing a period-7 attractor. Results show that in deterministic systems, an optimal embedding exists under which recurrence plots exhibit robust diagonal or vertical lines. However, in stochastic systems, an optimal embedding often does not exist, evidenced by the inability to shrink the standard deviation of either the determinism or the trapping time. By means of surrogate testing, we also show that a Poisson process or a stochastic system with periodic trend is insufficient to model uncertainty contained in empirical data. By contrast, the period-7 attractor dominates and well models nonlinear dynamics of empirical data via irregularly switching of the slow and the fast dynamics. Findings highlight the importance of fitting and recreating nonlinear dynamics of data in modeling practical problems.
Values as heuristics: a contextual empiricist account of assessing values scientifically
Authors: ChoGlueck Christopher , Lloyd Elisabeth A.
Published: June 2023

Feminist philosophers have discussed the prospects for assessing values empirically, particularly given the ongoing threat of sexism and other oppressive values influencing science and society. Some advocates of such tests now champion a “values as evidence” approach, and they criticize Helen Longino’s contextual empiricism for not holding values to the same level of empirical scrutiny as other claims. In this paper, we defend contextual empiricism by arguing that many of these criticisms are based on mischaracterizations of Longino’s position, overstatements of certain claims, and false dichotomies. Her contextual empiricism not only allows for the empirical support and disconfirmation of values, but Longino explicitly discusses when values can be empirically adjudicated and emphasizes the crucial role of the community for standards of evidence. We support contextual empiricism and elaborate a less direct account of “values as heuristics” by reviewing Longino’s theory of evidence and then using a case study from Elisabeth Lloyd on the biology of female orgasm, demonstrating the disconfirmation of androcentric values in evolutionary science. Within Longino’s and Lloyd’s contextual empiricism, values do not get treated as empirical evidence to be directly assessed by individuals, but rather values are heuristic tools to build models whose use can be validated or invalidated by communities based on their empirical fruitfulness in the logic and pragmatics of research questions in specific historical and cultural contexts.
Acting on belief functions
Authors: Smith Nicholas J. J.
Published: June 2023

The degrees of belief of rational agents should be guided by the evidence available to them. This paper takes as a starting point the view—argued elsewhere—that the formal model best able to capture this idea is one that represents degrees of belief using Dempster–Shafer belief functions. However, degrees of belief should not only respect evidence; they also guide decision and action. Whatever formal model of degrees of belief we adopt, we need a decision theory that works with it: that takes as input degrees of belief so represented. The task of this paper is to develop such a decision theory for the belief function model of degrees of belief. This is not the first paper to attempt that task, but compared to the existing literature it takes a more abstract route to its destination, via a consideration of the very idea of rational decision making in light of one’s beliefs and desires. After presenting the new decision theory and comparing it to existing views, the paper goes on to consider diachronic decision situations.
Information overload research in accounting: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Hartmann Maren , Weißenberger Barbara E.
Published: June 2023

This paper reviews literature in the domain of information overload in accounting. The underlying psychological concepts of information load (as applied in accounting research) are summarized, and a framework to discuss findings in a structured way is proposed. This framework serves to make causes, consequences, and countermeasures transparent. Variables are further clustered into major categories from information processing research: input, process, and output. The main variables investigated are the characteristics of the information set, especially the number of information cues as an input variable; the experience of the decision-maker, the decision time, decision rule, and cue usage as process variables; and measures related to decision quality (i.e., accuracy, consensus, consistency) and related to selfinsight (calibration, confidence, feeling of overload) as output variables. The contexts of the respective research papers are described, and the operationalization of variables detailed and compared. We employ the method of stylized facts to evaluate the strength of the links between variables (number of links, direction and significance of relationship). The findings can be summarized as follows: most articles focus on individual decision-making in the domain of external accounting, with financial distress predictions constituting a large part of these. Most papers focus on input and output variables with the underlying information processing receiving less attention. The effects observed are dependent on the type of information input and the task employed. Decision accuracy is likely to decrease once information load passes a certain threshold, while decision time and a feeling of overload increase with increasing information load. While experience increases decision accuracy, the results on decision time and consensus are conflicting. Most articles have not established a significant link between changes in information load and changes in decision confidence. Relative cue usage, consensus, consistency, and calibration decline with increasing information load. Available time has a rather positive effect on decision accuracy and consensus. Based on these findings, implications for practice and future research are derived.
Anti-GBM-Nephritis
Authors: Windpessl Martin , Kronbichler Andreas
Published: June 2023

Antikörper gegen die glomeruläre Basalmembran (GBM) verursachen eine aggressiv verlaufende Autoimmunerkrankung, die den Kleingefäßvaskulitiden zugeordnet wird und im weiteren Sinn auch als Goodpasture-Syndrom bekannt ist. Sie verläuft entweder auf die Nieren beschränkt (Anti-GBM-Nephritis) oder manifestiert in Form eines pulmorenalen Syndroms (Anti-GBM-Erkrankung). Im Laufe der letzten Jahre hat sich das Krankheitsspektrum erweitert. Insbesondere die „doppelt positive“ serologische Konstellation, also die Koexistenz von Anti-GBM- und antineutrophilen zytoplasmatischen Antikörpern (ANCA), wurde klarer abgegrenzt, was auch therapeutische Implikationen nach sich zieht. Ein rascher Behandlungsbeginn ist essenziell, um die Prognose entscheidend zu verbessern. Die Plasmapherese bleibt eine zentrale Therapiesäule mit dem Ziel, pathogene Autoantikörper zu entfernen. Es sind nun bessere klinische und histologische Merkmale definiert, die es erlauben, frühzeitig den Nutzen einer etwaigen Therapiefortsetzung bezüglich Nierenfunktion einzuschätzen. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über neue Erkenntnisse hinsichtlich Krankheitsverlauf („atypische“ Varianten) und setzt den Schwerpunkt auf klinisch relevante Aspekte in der Diagnostik und insbesondere auf neue Therapieansätze. Mit Imlifidase zeichnet sich eine vielversprechende Erweiterung der Behandlungsmöglichkeiten ab.
Incidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Older Adults: Limitations of Current Data
Authors: Rozenbaum Mark H. , Begier Elizabeth , Kurosky Samantha K. , Whelan Jo , Bem Danai , Pouwels Koen B. , Postma Maarten , Bont Louis
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of severe respiratory illness in older adults and adults with respiratory or cardiovascular comorbidities. Published estimates of its incidence and prevalence in adult groups vary widely. This article reviews the potential limitations affecting RSV epidemiology studies and suggests points to consider when evaluating or designing them.

Methods

Studies reporting the incidence or prevalence of RSV infection in adults in high-income Western countries from 2000 onwards were identified via a rapid literature review. Author-reported limitations were recorded, together with presence of other potential limitations. Data were synthesized narratively, with a focus on factors affecting incidence estimates for symptomatic infection in older adults.

Results

A total of 71 studies met the inclusion criteria, most in populations with medically attended acute respiratory illness (ARI). Only a minority used case definitions and sampling periods tailored specifically to RSV; many used influenza-based or other criteria that are likely to result in RSV cases being missed. The great majority relied solely on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of upper respiratory tract samples, which is likely to miss RSV cases compared with dual site sampling and/or addition of serology. Other common limitations were studying a single season, which has potential for bias due to seasonal variability; failure to stratify results by age, which underestimates the burden of severe disease in older adults; limited generalizability beyond a limited study setting; and absence of measures of uncertainty in the reporting of results.

Conclusions

A significant proportion of studies are likely to underestimate the incidence of RSV infection in older adults, although the effect size is unclear and there is also potential for overestimation. Well-designed studies, together with increased testing for RSV in patients with ARI in clinical practice, are required to accurately capture both the burden of RSV and the potential public health impact of vaccines.
To Have Your Cake and Eat It Too: Sufficient Disclosure of Inventions in the Light of the Polish Supreme Administrative Court’s Judgment of 24 April 2022, II GSK 1724/18
Authors: Zemła-Pacud Żaneta
Published: June 2023

The subject matter of this opinion is the Polish Supreme Administrative Court’s judgment on the invalidity of a patent concerning a calcium-magnesium fertiliser due to its insufficient disclosure. This paper presents the course of the invalidation proceedings before the Polish Patent Office and administrative courts against the background of the Polish Industrial Property Law and the Polish Patent Office’s Guidelines concerning sufficient disclosure of inventions. It also briefly refers to the EPC and EPO practice on the standards of sufficient disclosure, including the recent EPO decision G2/21. Finally, it offers approving comments on the judgment itself, notices the practical impossibility of remedying the failure to disclose enough and mentions current systemic challenges to the requirement of sufficient disclosure as a fundamental rule of patent systems.
Exploring efficient and effective generative adversarial network for thermal infrared image colorization
Authors: Chen Yu , Zhan Weida , Jiang Yichun , Zhu Depeng , Xu Xiaoyu , Guo Renzhong
Published: June 2023

Thermal infrared image colorization is very difficult, and colorized images suffer from poor texture detail recovery and low color matching. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes an Efficient and Effective Generative Adversarial Network (E2GAN). This paper proposes multi-level dense module, feature fusion module, and color-aware attention module in the improved generator. Adding multi-level dense module can enhance the feature extraction capability and the improve detail recovery capability Using the feature fusion module in the middle of the encoder–decoder reduces the information loss caused by encoder down-sampling and improves the prediction of fine color of the image. Using the color-aware attention module during up-sampling allows for capturing more semantic details, focusing on more key objects, and generating high-quality colorized images. And the proposed discriminator is the PatchGAN with color-aware attention module, which enhances its ability to discriminate between true and false colorized images. Meanwhile, this paper proposes a novel composite loss function that can improve the quality of colorized images, generate fine local details, and recover semantic and texture information. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed E2GAN has significantly improved SSIM, PSNR, LPIPS, and NIQE on the KAIST dataset and the FLIR dataset compared to existing methods.
Thermo-Environ-Economic Optimization of an Integrated Combined-Cycle Power Plant Based on a Multi-objective Water Cycle Algorithm
Authors: Ghadikolaei Reza Shojaei , Khoshgoftar Manesh Mohammad Hasan , Modabber Hossein Vazini , Onishi Viviani Caroline
Published: June 2023

The integration of power plants and desalination systems has attracted increasing attention over the past few years as an effective solution to tackle sustainable development and climate change issues. In this light, this paper introduces a novel modelling and optimization approach for a combined-cycle power plant (CCPP) integrated with reverse osmosis (RO) and multi-effect distillation (MED) desalination systems. The integrated CCPP and RO–MED desalination system is thermodynamically modelled utilizing MATLAB and EES software environments, and the results are validated via Thermoflex software simulations. Comprehensive energy, exergic, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental (4E) analyses are performed to assess the performance of the integrated system. Furthermore, a new multi-objective water cycle algorithm (MOWCA) is implemented to optimize the main performance parameters of the integrated system. Finally, a real-world case study is performed based on Iran's Shahid Salimi Neka power plant. The results reveal that the system exergy efficiency is increased from 8.4 to 51.1% through the proposed MOWCA approach, and the energy and freshwater costs are reduced by 8.4% and 29.4%, respectively. The latter results correspond to an environmental impact reduction of 14.2% and 33.5%. Hence, the objective functions are improved from all exergic, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental perspectives, proving the approach to be a valuable tool towards implementing more sustainable combined power plants and desalination systems.
Robustness of preferential-attachment graphs
Authors: Hasheminezhad Rouzbeh , Brandes Ulrik
Published: June 2023

The widely used characterization of scale-free networks as “robust-yet-fragile” originates primarily from experiments on instances generated by preferential attachment. According to this characterization, scale-free networks are more robust against random failures but more fragile against targeted attacks when compared to random networks of the same size. Here, we consider a more appropriate baseline by requiring that the random networks match not only the size but also the inherent minimum degree of preferential-attachment networks they are compared with. Under this more equitable condition, we can (1) prove that random networks are almost surely robust against any vertex removal strategy and (2) show through extensive experiments that scale-free networks generated by preferential attachment are not particularly robust against random failures. Finally, we (3) add experiments demonstrating that preferentially attaching to well-connected vertices does not enhance robustness at all.
The ENSO Fingerprint on Bangladesh Summer Monsoon Rainfall
Authors: Ehsan Muhammad Azhar , Tippett Michael K. , Robertson Andrew W. , Singh Bohar , Rahman Muhammad Ashfaqur
Published: June 2023

In South Asia (SA), the boreal summer monsoon (June to September; JJAS) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are connected, though different areas in SA respond differently to ENSO. In this paper, a new 41-year (1981 to 2021) high-resolution gridded rainfall dataset (ENACTS-BMD; Enhancing National Climate Services for Bangladesh Meteorological Department) is used to investigate the linkage between the Bangladesh Summer Monsoon Rainfall (BSMR) and ENSO. Observed BSMR shows a weak positive correlation (r =  + 0.21, not statistically significant at the 5% level) with sea surface temperatures (SST) in the central-eastern (Niño3.4) Pacific region. Among the eight El Niño events, seven of them corresponded to above-normal BSMR. However, during the 11 La Niña events, the relationship was more varied, with above-normal BSMR occurring in seven instances. These findings highlight an asymmetric relationship between BSMR and ENSO. Furthermore, BSMR is negatively correlated (r =  − 0.47 statistically significant at the 5% level) with Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR: 75°–85oE, 18°–30oN). The potential physical mechanism can be outlined as follows: during El Niño, the Walker circulation tends to be weakened, resulting in a weakening of the summer monsoon circulation, which in turn reduces the intensity of easterly winds along the Bangladesh Himalayan foothills. Subsequently, a lower-level anomalous cyclonic circulation is established, facilitating the convergence of moisture within the boundary layer. This, in turn, leads to intensified rainfall over Bangladesh and the surrounding regions during El Niño. Seasonal forecast models do not adequately capture BSMR and ENSO, BSMR and circulation, and BSMR and ISMR inverse correlations. While the observed BSMR-ENSO relationship is complex and teleconnections are weak, awareness of the inverse relationship with ISMR and the incorrect model behavior could be useful in the context of seasonal BSMR predictions.