bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Air Pollution Tolerance Index for Selected Species of Plants in Roadside Highways at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Nishad Rahul , Paliwal Harsh Bodh , Karada Makhan Singh , Agnihotri Dheer
Published: January 2021

In recent years air pollution is one of the biggest problems in the world. Owing to the transboundary dispersion of contaminants around the world, air pollution has its own peculiarities. In a much planned urban setup industrial pollution takes a backseat and cooler admission takes the president's as the major cause of urban air pollution in the present investigation your pollution torrents index was calculated for various plant species growing around the Allahabad Highway. Five plants available commonly in all locations were selected for the present research namely Azadirachta indica (Neem), Delonix regia (Gulmohar), Saraca asoca (Ashok), Ficus benghalensis (Bargad), Ficus religiosa (Pepal). Using normal procedures, ascorbic acid, leaf extract pH, overall chlorophyll, relative water content and air quality tolerance index were analysed. Both plants tested in both areas have been shown to be pollution-sensitive, varying from 02.29 to 12.53. No pollution tolerant organisms studied were found. The maximum value of pH was 7.8 found in Neem tree spp. (Azadirachta indica) in Rewa Road (NH-35) and the minimum value of pH was 5.9 found in Gulmohar tree spp. (Delonix regia) in Varanasi Road (NH-19), The maximum value of RWC (89.99 %) found in Ashok tree spp. (Saraca asoca) and the minimum value of RWC (58.64 %) found in Neem tree spp. (Azadirachta indica) in Mirzapur Road site (NH-76). The maximum value of Total Chlorophyll Content was 1.55 mg/g found in Ashok tree spp. (Saraca asoca) in Mirzapur Road (NH-76) and the minimum value of Total Chlorophyll Content was 0.71 mg/g found in Bargad tree spp. (Ficus benghalensis) in Control Site and Rewa Road (NH-35). The maximum value of Ascorbic Acid (1.07 mg/g) found in Ashok tree spp. (Saraca asoca) in Rewa Road site (NH-35) and the minimum value of Ascorbic Acid (0.39 mg/g) found in Pepal tree spp. (Ficus religiosa) in Mirzapur Road site (NH-76) The variance may be due to alternative biochemical parameters being reflected. Plant can filter the air through aerial elements especially through their twigs stem leaves air pollution management is the better manage by the afforestation program. Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) is an intrinsic quality of tree to control air pollution problem which is currently of major concern of local urban locality. The trees having higher tolerance index rate or tolerant towards air pollution and can be used as a major component to reduce air pollution whereas the tree having less tolerance index can be an indicator to know the rate of air pollution. Hence, it is essential to protect the plants.
Evaluation of Selected Zambian Popular Sweet Potato Genotypes for Response to Sweet Potato Virus Disease
Authors: Banda Joseph , Chikoti Patrick Chiza , Tembo Langa
Published: January 2021

Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) on the beta carotene content, tuber weight and vine weight of selected popular sweet potato genotypes.

Study Design: The experiment was laid as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted for two cropping seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17) at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute in Chilanga district of Zambia.

Methodology: The uninfected (control) genotypes of Kanga, Chiwoko and Chingovwa were evaluated alongside their SPVD infected genotypes. Genotypic infection was confirmed using molecular approaches, and data was collected at harvest on beta carotene content, tuber weight and vine weight.

Results: The results showed that SPVD affects the yield and beta carotene content of sweet potato. Significant differences (P< .001) for yield performance and beta carotene were observed. The yield reduction in percentage across seasons for all genotypes between the uninfected and infected genotypes ranged from 77% to 79% and 67% to 76% for tuber weight and vine weight respectively. Only Chiwoko exhibited higher levels of beta carotene among the genotypes. However, the SPVD infected Chiwoko genotype compared to the uninfected treatment produced mean beta carotene content of 39.1 µg/g and 91.5 µg/g respectively.

Conclusion: SPVD reduces the tuber weight, vine weight and beta carotene content in infected sweet potato genotypes.
Development and Evaluation of Ripe Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) Based Fruit Bars Using Herb Extracts
Authors: Dhiman Anju K. , Thakur Priyanka , Attri Surekha , Kathuria Deepika , Ramachandran Preethi
Published: January 2021

Aim: Utilization of bulk availability of low cost ripe pumpkin into processed products with high nutritional and functional characteristics.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Food Science and Technology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, HP, India, between the years 2015-2017.

Methodology: A fruit bar was developed using pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) at different combinations of TSS (30, 35 and 40°Brix), citric acid (1, 1.5 and 2%) and pectin (1, 1.5 and 2%). Further, incorporation of different herbal extracts (ginger, mint, tulsi) @ 5, 10, 15 and 20% was standardized in order to enhance the functional characteristics of the product and best recipe was evaluated for quality and sensory characteristics during storage.

Results: Pumpkin bar prepared at 40°Brix, 1.5% citric acid and 2% pectin got maximum sensory score and was liked very much. In case of herbal extracts, substitution by 10 % was found to be the best to prepare pumpkin-ginger, pumpkin-mint and pumpkin-tulsi bar. During storage, the chemical and sensory parameters decreased significantly (p<0.05) but the bars of all the treatments were of good quality up to six months. ALP was observed to be better packaging material as compared to LDPE and PP boxes. The product was able to retain 61.06% antioxidant activity and reflected 14.7 and 12.25 mm antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively when stored for six months under ambient conditions with minimal changes in quality attributes.

Conclusion: It can be revealed that ripe pumpkin along with herbal extracts can be utilized successfully for the production of good quality and nutritionally enriched bar of remunerative cost.
Ventriculo-Peritoneal Shunt Complications at Emergency Teaching Hospital in Duhok City
Authors: Hussein Nabeel Ali , Rawi Walid W. Al- , Rasheed Arjan M.
Published: January 2021

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery is the predominant mode of therapy for patients with hydrocephalus. However, it has potential complications that may require multiple surgical procedures during a patient’s lifetime. The aim of the article was to review the experience in a 2-year teaching hospital and to evaluate the risk factors for PV shunt failure after initial shunt surgery and after subsequent reviews.

Methods: The study was carried out at The Emergency Teaching Hospital in Duhok City in Iraq. All complications of VP shunted patients admitted to the hospital from January 2013 to January 2015, were included in the study. Forty six patients (out of 170 VP shunt operations), with all shunt related complications, qualified for this study. Identification of patients with complications of VP shunt is done by obtaining proper history, examination, and identification of ventricular enlargement with periventricular edema on imaging (brain computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance study (MRI); also, identification of any evidence of device migration by direct vision, chest and abdominal X-ray and evidence of infection on CSF analysis.

Results: The incidence of the complications was (27.1%). There were 24 (52.2%) males and 22 (47.8%) females. Males were affected more than females with a ratio 1.1:1. Their age ranged from 2 months to 67 years, with mean age 8.6 years. The most common cause for the initial VP shunt implantation was congenital hydrocephalus and was noticed in 34 (73.9%) patients. Mean duration to develop VP shunt complication was 26.6 months. The most common presenting symptom in pediatric patients was decreased oral intake in 37 (80.4%) patients; however, in adult patients, it was headache, 4 (80%) patients. The most common complication was obstruction, 25 (54.3%) patients, followed by infection in 9 (19.6%) patients. The most common treatment option given to the patients who suffered from VP shunt complications was whole system change for a new one, in 15 (32.6%) patients.

Conclusions: The findings of the study indicate that age of the patient at time of shunt placement, etiology of hydrocephalus, and previous treatments before shunt surgery were independently significantly associated with the shunt survival. Prospective controlled studies are required to address the observed associations between the risk factors and incidence of shunt revisions in these patients.
Dimensional Analysis of Transmissivity Equations and Comparison of Dependent Variables Using Birnin Gwari Aquifer Characteristics in Northern Nigeria
Authors: Olaniyan Isaac O.
Published: January 2021

This study established relationship among three transmissivity equations using dimensional analysis, comparing three dependent variables inherent in the transmissivity equations, and use correlation analysis to examine the nature of interrelationship between drawdown and specific capacity in the Birnin-Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria between October 2018 and October 2019. Relationship between three transmissivity equations, namely, Jacob, Logan and Babuskin was determined using dimensional analysis. The equations and the outcome were applied to the hydraulic data obtained from 26 producing boreholes in the study area. Comparison of the dependent variables, namely discharge, drawdown and hydraulic conductivity, was carried out to observe the relationship among them. The Correlation analysis was used to examine the nature of interrelationship between drawdown and specific capacity, while the plots of depth-to-water table and depth-to-basement were made to provide pictorial comparison between positions of water table and the underlying Basement. The results showed that the values computed from the Jacob method are the lowest among the three, while Logan method gave higher values, although they all trend in similar manner. The study revealed an inverse trend in the drawdown versus discharge and hydraulic conductivity. Correlation analysis between drawdown and specific capacity gave a regression coefficient of -0.593 and correlation coefficient of 0.352, indicating a weak relationship between them. The graphical relation of water level versus basement rock surfaces portend a near-parallel trend possibly determined by the underlying geology. Transmissivity values computed from the Babuskin method gave almost average values among the three methods. Both the regression and correlation coefficients gave low to average values between drawdown and specific capacity. The depth-to-basement versus depth-to-water plots showed that water table variations are probably controlled by the type and trend of basement topography.
Optimization of Dispensing Parameter to Eliminate the Excessive Epoxy Dispense in Die Attach
Authors: Capili Michael D.
Published: January 2021

Excessive epoxy flow on the dispensing nozzle may result in epoxy tailings due to unoptimized dispensing parameters.  This may cause various problems related to epoxy dispensing, such as epoxy splatter, epoxy on lead, and epoxy bridging. This research study is conducted to eliminate the cause of epoxy related defects. Optimization of dispensing parameter using Design of Experiment as a methodology to reduce the excessive epoxy PPM rate. And base on the DOE main effect plot, excessive epoxy dispense PPM reduces as Snuffback time increases or faster.
Multiple‐Choice versus Open‐Ended Questions in Advanced Clinical Neuroanatomy: Using a National Neuroanatomy Assessment to Investigate Variability in Performance Using Different Question Types
Authors: Merzougui Wassim H. , Myers Matthew A. , Hall Samuel , Elmansouri Ahmad , Parker Rob , Robson Alistair D. , Kurn Octavia , Parrott Rachel , Geoghegan Kate , Harrison Charlotte H. , Anbu Deepika , Dean Oliver , Border Scott
Published: January 2021

Methods of assessment in anatomy vary across medical schools in the United Kingdom (UK) and beyond; common methods include written, spotter, and oral assessment. However, there is limited research evaluating these methods in regards to student performance and perception. The National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition (NUNC) is held annually for medical students throughout the UK. Prior to 2017, the competition asked open‐ended questions (OEQ) in the anatomy spotter examination, and in subsequent years also asked single best answer (SBA) questions. The aim of this study is to assess medical students’ performance on, and perception of, SBA and OEQ methods of assessment in a spotter style anatomy examination. Student examination performance was compared between OEQ (2013–2016) and SBA (2017–2020) for overall score and each neuroanatomical subtopic. Additionally, a questionnaire explored students’ perceptions of SBAs. A total of 631 students attended the NUNC in the studied period. The average mark was significantly higher in SBAs compared to OEQs (60.6% vs. 43.1%, P < 0.0001)—this was true for all neuroanatomical subtopics except the cerebellum. Students felt that they performed better on SBA than OEQs, and diencephalon was felt to be the most difficult neuroanatomical subtopic (n = 38, 34.8%). Students perceived SBA questions to be easier than OEQs and performed significantly better on them in a neuroanatomical spotter examination. Further work is needed to ascertain whether this result is replicable throughout anatomy education.
Development of a MATLAB Algorithm for Calculating Reorganization Energy Utilizing Rectilinear Normal Mode Displacements: Investigation of the Effect of Substituents on Electron and Hole Reorganization Energies of Styryl‐Capped Silicon Quantum Dots
Authors: Choi Young‐Hwa , Yun Hyeok , Jeong Hyun‐Dam
Published: January 2021

We developed a MATLAB algorithm to calculate reorganization energy utilizing rectilinear normal mode displacements. Normal mode‐projected rectilinear displacements and the corresponding angular frequencies, required for evaluating charge transfer reorganization energy within the harmonic oscillator approximation, were obtained from Cartesian coordinates and Cartesian force constant matrices determined with respect to the principal axes. To verify the algorithm developed with MATLAB, we compared the computed charge transfer reorganization energies to those evaluated by the DUSHIN program, and there was no substantial difference, indicating that our algorithm guarantees the numerical accuracy of the calculations. This algorithm was applied to design silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) with low reorganization energies for charge transfer.
Training simulators for manufacturing processes: Literature review and systematisation of applicability factors
Authors: Knoke Benjamin , Thoben Klaus‐Dieter
Published: January 2021

Training simulators are fundamental for training in areas, such as aviation, medicine, and the military. While new applications emerge in conjunction with the development of human–machine interface (HMI) technologies, only a few applications for manufacturing processes are used in industrial practice. This study provides a literature review on simulation‐based training in manufacturing processes and applies the definitions of DIN 8580:2003 to structure the research. The identified applications are further analysed regarding their HMI design and the process‐related benefits and limitations that were described within the publications. Although 202 applications were found, most focus on a small number of processes, and the others rarely mature past the prototype stage. The distribution implies that certain process‐specific factors impact the applicability of simulation‐based training in manufacturing processes. In this context, applicability factors are defined as characteristics of the original training process that affect the training adversely and that can be avoided or reduced in a training simulation. A systematisation of these applicability factors is developed as a step towards a process analysis methodology.
EEG Correlates of Engagement During Assessment
Authors: Halderman Laura K. , Finn Bridgid , Lockwood J.R. , Long Nicole M. , Kahana Michael J.
Published: January 2021

In educational assessment, low engagement is problematic when tests are low stakes for students but have significant consequences for teachers or schools. In the current study, we sought to establish the electroencephalographic (EEG) correlates of engagement and to distinguish engagement from mental effort. Forty university students participated in a simulated GRE® General Test session while scalp EEG was recorded from 128 channels. Participants completed two verbal and two quantitative GRE test blocks for a total of 40 items each, and after each item, rated either their engagement or mental effort on a scale of 1–6. We computed power for seven frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and low, medium, and high gamma) across six regions of interest: left hemisphere (LH) and right hemisphere (RH) frontal, temporal, and parietal. Preliminary results suggested that gamma power (30–150 hertz [Hz]) indexed differences between high‐ and low‐engagement ratings. This pattern was similar but weaker for mental effort. A cumulative logit model with cross‐classified random effects determined that high gamma (90–150 Hz) over the LH temporal cortex predicted engagement ratings, while controlling for reaction time and accuracy. However, for effort ratings, reaction time was the sole significant predictor. These results suggest that high gamma may be a correlate of engagement during complex cognitive tasks, but not a correlate of effort. The findings are a promising step toward the goal of objectively measuring engagement during assessment tasks.
Rational design of the nickel‐borane complex for efficient hydrogenation of styrene
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhu Qin , Gao Liuzhou , Yang Linlin , Li Wei , Li Shuhua , Zhu Jun , Wang Wei , Zeng Guixiang
Published: January 2021

The Ni‐B complex 1BCF with a facilely accessible monophosphine (PtBu3) unit was theoretically designed, which was found to be more active than that with an ambiphilic ligand for hydrogenation of styrene. Substituting PtBu3 with a stronger electron donating ligand N‐heterocyclic carbene largely improves the activity of the Ni‐B complex.
My love, I hate you: Rethinking brand jealousy to investigate emotional transition among rural customers
Authors: Dawood Ferwa , Kashif Muhammad
Published: January 2021

The objective of the research study is to investigate the brand love‐hate transition to predict brand avoidance via a mediating role of brand jealousy among rural customers in Pakistan. The data are collected through a survey, administered among 342 rural customers living in Pakistan. The data analysis is performed through structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The results found mediation of brand jealousy to predict brand love–hate transition. The study of a transition in consumer emotions via a mediating role of brand jealousy in the context of customers living in rural areas provides an important perspective to the study of rural marketing and branding.
Controlled‐release urea improved rice yields by providing nitrogen in synchrony with the nitrogen requirements of plants
Authors: Yang Xiuyi , Geng Jibiao , Liu Qianjin , Zhang Hanyu , Hao Xiaodong , Sun Yunbao , Lu Xiaofeng
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND

Excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and low nitrogen‐use efficiency (NUE) are prevalent problems in rice production. Controlled‐release urea (CRU) is widely adopted to increase rice yields, but the synchronicity of N release from CRU with uptake of N by plants has rarely been studied. A 2‐year field experiment involving CRU and urea applications at three different N rates (240, 192 and 144 kg N ha−1, equal to 100%, 80% and 60% of the recommended rate, respectively) was performed to compare their effects on N uptake, soil N content and rice yields.

RESULTS

The successive release curves of CRU in the soil matched the corresponding N uptake curves of rice plants, and significant linear correlations were observed. Grain yield and N uptake under the CRU treatment increased by 5.25–7.88% and 7.13–17.94% than urea treatments, at the same N rate, and no obvious difference was found between CRU60% and Urea100%. CRU80% and CRU60% presented the highest NUE. The contents of ammonium‐nitrogen (NH4+‐N), nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3‐‐N), and total N and the chlorophyll relative value – SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development) values – of the leaves under the CRU treatments were significantly higher than those under the urea treatments from heading to harvest. The contents of exchangeable sodium ion (Na+) and calcium ion (Ca2+) and the cation exchange capacity increased in response to CRU.

CONCLUSION

CRU increased rice yields by providing N strongly in synchrony with the N requirements of the plants, and applying CRU at 192 kg N ha−1 was an effective strategy to conserve N fertilizer, increase soil N contents and enhance NUE. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
A linear to circular polarization reconfigurable converter based on frequency selective surface
Authors: Sofi Mohammad Ayoub , Saurav Kushmanda , Koul Shiban Kishen
Published: January 2021

In this article, a linear to circular polarization reconfigurable converter (PRC) working in transmission mode is proposed. The PRC's fundamental unit consists of a cascade of half‐hexagon structure and its mirror replica printed on both sides of a single layer substrate. A PIN diode inserted in the central arm of the unit cell controls the PRC's behavior to a ϕ = 45° linearly polarized (LP) incident wave, transmitting an LP and circularly polarized (CP) in the ON and OFF state of the diode respectively. The proposed PRC is compact with an overall size of 0.046λ03 (λ0 is calculated with respect to 15.15 GHz) and exhibits a polarization conversion ratio greater than 0.9 in the frequency band 14.0–16.0 GHz. Polarization reconfigurable behavior of the converter is verified by placing 45°clockwise rotated 6 × 6 array of the proposed PRC's unit cell on top of an LP patch antenna. The transmitted radiation from the antenna with the PRC in ON and OFF state of the PIN diode is LP and CP (left or right). A prototype of the antenna with PRC is fabricated, and the results obtained from measurements are in agreement with simulated ones.
Perspectives of fast magic‐angle spinning 87Rb NMR of organic solids at high magnetic fields
Authors: Wu Gang , Terskikh Victor , Wong Alan
Published: January 2021

We report solid‐state 87Rb NMR spectra from two Rb‐ionophore complexes obtained with fast magic‐angle spinning (MAS) (up to 60 kHz) at 21.1 T. These Rb‐ionophore complexes containing macrocycles such as benzo‐15‐crown‐5 and cryptand [2.2.2] are typical of organic Rb salts that exhibit very large 87Rb quadrupole coupling constants (close to 20 MHz). We have also obtained static 87Rb NMR spectra for these two compounds and determined both 87Rb quadrupole coupling and chemical shift tensors. The experimental 87Rb NMR tensor parameters are compared with those obtained by quantum chemical computations. Our results demonstrate that the combination of fast MAS (60 kHz or higher) and a high magnetic field (21.1 T or higher) is sufficient to produce high‐quality solid‐state 87Rb NMR spectra for organic Rb solids at the natural abundance level. We anticipate that, with additional 87Rb isotope enrichment (up to 99%), the sensitivity of solid‐state 87Rb NMR will be 400 times higher than 39K NMR, which makes the former an attractive surrogate probe for studying K+ ion binding in biological systems.
Bufarenogin induces intrinsic apoptosis via Bax and ANT cooperation
Authors: Han Qinrui , Zhang Chun , Zhang Yongbin , Li Yuan , Wu Liyi , Sun Xuegang
Published: January 2021

Toads have high medicinal value and have been used for medicinal purposes since the Tang Dynasty period (7th‐10th Century AD). Bufarenogin, an active anti‐tumor constituent of toad venom, shows anti‐tumor activity. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of bufarenogin on the growth and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly its effects on mediating intrinsic signaling pathways that initiate apoptosis. An orthotopic CRC model was established in nude mice via surgical orthotopic implantation to investigate tumor growth. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting assays were performed to evaluate protein expression. The in vitro results revealed the anti‐proliferative effect of bufarenogin against CRC cells. Bufarenogin caused cell death via apoptosis, as revealed by Annexin V/7‐amino‐actinomycin D double staining, which was verified using a pan‐caspase inhibitor. Bufarenogin induced B‐cell lymphoma 2‐associated X protein (Bax)‐dependent intrinsic apoptosis, as demonstrated by mitochondrial translocation of Bax and cytoplasm release of HCT116 wild‐type cells and cytochrome C (soluble pro‐apoptotic factors). Additionally, we showed that adenine‐nucleotide translocator interacted with Bax. Bufarenogin induced intrinsic apoptosis through the cooperation of Bax and adenine‐nucleotide translocator and inhibited the metastasis and growth of orthotopical CRC cells.
After all, who has to be studied: The coronavirus, Brazilians, or their administrators?
Authors: Nascimento Ingrid
Published: January 2021

This article discusses one of the great governmental challenges of the last centuries—universalization of access to potable water and sanitation services (WSS)—in view of the geographical difficulties for the provision of services in certain regions, and differences in ability to pay for water and sanitation services. It is necessary to reinforce the various links between social and environmental conditions. A review of the literature finds that countries work differently on the approach to universal access to water and sanitation services (Marques, 2010), addressing the problem according to their laws with variable results in how these services are defined. In order to achieve the desired universalization of water and sanitation services in Brazil, in addition to the investment of significant amounts of money, coordinated administration is necessary to leverage these investments. In addition to this challenging scenario, the present moment is worrying! At the beginning of the 21st century, a new pandemic is causing deaths at an alarming rate. Most countries around the world are combating the new coronavirus that has disrupted economies, caused panic, and raised hypotheses about political hegemonies. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID‐19) to be a Public Health Emergency of International Importance—the highest alert level of the Organization, as provided for in the International Health Regulations. This study discusses the alignment of these dual challenges in Brazil and what can be done toward improved water and sanitation in this difficult context.
Emerging Security Challenges for Ubiquitous Devices
Authors: Kutyłowski Mirosław , Syga Piotr , Yung Moti
Published: January 2021

In this chapter we focus on two important security challenges that naturally emerge for large scale systems composed of cheap devices implementing only symmetric cryptographic algorithms. First, we consider threats due to poor or malicious implementations of protocols, which enable data to be leaked from the devices to an adversary. We present solutions based on a watchdog concept—a man-in-the-middle device that does not know the secrets of the communicating parties, but aims to destroy covert channels leaking secret information. Second, we deal with the problem of tracing devices by means of information exchanged while establishing a communication session. As solutions such as Diffie-Hellman key exchange are unavailable for such devices, implicit identity information might be transmitted in clear and thereby provide a perfect means for privacy violations. We show how to reduce such risks without retreating to asymmetric algorithms.
Catalog and Illustrative Examples of Lightweight Cryptographic Primitives
Authors: Mileva Aleksandra , Dimitrova Vesna , Kara Orhun , Mihaljević Miodrag J.
Published: January 2021

The main objective of this chapter is to offer to practitioners, researchers and all interested parties a brief categorized catalog of existing lightweight symmetric primitives with their main cryptographic features, ultimate hardware performance, and existing security analysis, so they can easily compare the ciphers or choose some of them according to their needs. Certain security evaluation issues have been addressed as well. In particular, the reason behind why modern lightweight block cipher designs have in the last decade overwhelmingly dominated stream cipher design is analyzed in terms of security against tradeoff attacks. It turns out that it is possible to design stream ciphers having much smaller internal states.
ePassport and eID Technologies
Authors: Hanzlik Lucjan , Kutyłowski Mirosław
Published: January 2021

This chapter is devoted to the design and implementation of electronic ID (eID) such as ePassports and electronic personal identity documents. We present an overview of existing and emerging concepts, both concerning threats and possible countermeasures. Thereby we aim to shed light on the development of ubiquitous systems, where many artifacts will require strong electronic identification with similar properties to those in the case of eIDs issued for humans.
Knowledge and the Deliberative Stance in Democratic Systems: Harnessing Scepticism of the Self in Governing Global Environmental Change
Authors: Niemeyer Simon
Published: January 2021

Modern challenges, such as global environmental change, cannot be dealt with via the generation of knowledge alone. Even in-principle public support requires broad recognition of responsibility to translate knowledge into appropriate action. This cannot be achieved where minds are closed, in which case greater levels of knowledge can actually feed into perverse outcomes. Overcoming these dynamics is facilitated to the extent that individuals adopt a deliberative stance (Owen D, Smith G, J Political Philosophy 23:213–234, 2015), which involves, inter alia, openness to ideas and hastens the rush to judgement on issues involving uncertainty and complexity—a scepticism of the self. In this paper, the author demonstrates the effects of the deliberative stance and the conditions under which it is best achieved. I draw my evidence from small-scale settings described by deliberative minipublics, but the observed mechanisms can be “scaled up” to inform possibilities for wider reform of the processes governing the uptake and use of knowledge.
Collective Learning and Institutional Collective Action in Fragmented Governance
Authors: Kim Serena Y. , Swann William L. , Feiock Richard C.
Published: January 2021

Institutional collective action (ICA) dilemmas, or situations where authorities’ particularistic incentives are misaligned with collective interests, are ubiquitous where authority is fragmented among multiple or overlapping governments. Extant researchers have examined how policymakers overcome ICA dilemmas and promote collective action through institutions and relationships that lower collaboration uncertainty and risk. Yet, one factor conspicuously overlooked in this process is the role of collective learning or the degree to which institutions acquire, assimilate, and apply shared knowledge to achieve collaborative aims. In this chapter, we inquire how collective learning relates to governments’ ability to overcome ICA dilemmas and improve collaborative governance through three pathways, and put forward propositions as to how such learning can reduce ICA barriers and enhance future collaboration.
Networks as Facilitators of Innovation in Technology-Based Industries: The Case of Flat Glass
Authors: Tokatli Nebahat
Published: January 2021

In this chapter, I question the extent to which the networks of the flat glass industry facilitated innovation in the past and continue to do so now. So far, students of technology-based industries have focused their attention on a number of high-technology industries including, for example, biotechnology. Since the manufacturing and secondary processing of flat glass require the application of a degree of technological expertise, the flat glass industry is also considered a technology-based industry, though not a high-technology industry in the sense that biotechnology is. This particularity of the industry enables me not only to provide a reasonably complete account of the extent to which the networks of the flat glass industry facilitate innovation, but also to explore whether or not we need a different sort of network thinking for this particular industry—different from the thinking that the students of high-technology industries subscribe to as they study, for example, biotechnology.
Lessons from Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile) for Governance in Conditions of Environmental Uncertainty
Authors: Lipo Carl P. , Mischen Pamela , Hunt Terry L.
Published: January 2021

The effectiveness of governance depends on the knowledge upon which decisions are based. Knowledge veracity is particularly significant when future conditions are uncertain. In the context of global climate change, communities around the world, including the residents of Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile), face tremendous uncertainty in resource availability. In the context of these looming challenges, prehistoric Rapa Nui is often treated as a warning about human-induced ecological catastrophe. With contemporary populations of the island wrestling about issues of governance, it is vital that researchers carefully validate their knowledge about the island’s past. Despite the claims of traditional narratives, new empirical research on Rapa Nui indicates that the traditional “collapse” narrative has no basis. Instead, the island is now known to have been sustainable from its prehistory until European contact. These findings point to the potential of alternative action models and new governance structures.
Exploring the Predictive Power of News and Neural Machine Learning Models for Economic Forecasting
Authors: Barbaglia Luca , Consoli Sergio , Manzan Sebastiano
Published: January 2021

Forecasting economic and financial variables is a challenging task for several reasons, such as the low signal-to-noise ratio, regime changes, and the effect of volatility among others. A recent trend is to extract information from news as an additional source to forecast economic activity and financial variables. The goal is to evaluate if news can improve forecasts from standard methods that usually are not well-specified and have poor out-of-sample performance. In a currently on-going project, our goal is to combine a richer information set that includes news with a state-of-the-art machine learning model. In particular, we leverage on two recent advances in Data Science, specifically on Word Embedding and Deep Learning models, which have recently attracted extensive attention in many scientific fields. We believe that by combining the two methodologies, effective solutions can be built to improve the prediction accuracy for economic and financial time series. In this preliminary contribution, we provide an overview of the methodology under development and some initial empirical findings. The forecasting model is based on DeepAR, an auto-regressive probabilistic Recurrent Neural Network model, that is combined with GloVe Word Embeddings extracted from economic news. The target variable is the spread between the US 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity and the 3-Month Treasury Constant Maturity (T10Y3M). The DeepAR model is trained on a large number of related GloVe Word Embedding time series, and employed to produce point and density forecasts.
Corrections to Yukawa couplings from higher dimensional operators in a natural SUSY SO(10) and HL-LHC implications
Authors: Aboubrahim Amin , Nath Pran , Syed Raza M.
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We consider a class of unified models based on the gauge group SO(10) which with appropriate choice of Higgs representations generate in a natural way a pair of light Higgs doublets needed to accomplish electroweak symmetry breaking. In this class of models higher dimensional operators of the form matter-matter-Higgs-Higgs in the superpotential after spontaneous breaking of the GUT symmetry generate contributions to Yukawa couplings which are comparable to the ones from cubic interactions. Specifically we consider an SO(10) model with a sector consisting of 126 + $$ \overline{126} $$

126
¯

+ 210 of heavy Higgs which breaks the GUT symmetry down to the standard model gauge group and a sector consisting of 2 × 10 + 120 of light Higgs fields. In this model we compute the corrections from the quartic interactions to the Yukawa couplings for the top and the bottom quarks and for the tau lepton. It is then shown that inclusion of these corrections to the GUT scale Yukawas allows for consistency of the top, bottom and tau masses with experiment for low tan β with a value as low as tan β of 5–10. We compute the sparticle spectrum for a set of benchmarks and find that satisfaction of the relic density is achieved via a compressed spectrum and coannihilation and three sets of coannihilations appear: chargino-neutralino, stop-neutralino and stau-neutralino. We investigate the chargino-neutralino coannihilation in detail for the possibility of observation of the light chargino at the high luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) and at the high energy LHC (HE-LHC) which is a possible future 27 TeV hadron collider. It is shown that all benchmark models but one can be discovered at HL-LHC and all would be discoverable at HE-LHC. The ones discoverable at both machines require a much shorter time scale and a lower integrated luminosity at HE-LHC.
Completing 1/$$ {m}_b^3 $$ corrections to non-leptonic bottom-to-up-quark decays
Authors: Moreno Daniel
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We compute the contributions of dimension six two-quark operators to the non-leptonic decay width of heavy hadrons due to the flavor changing bottom-to-up-quark transition in the heavy quark expansion. Analytical expressions for the Darwin term ρD and the spin-orbit term ρLS are obtained with leading order accuracy.
Inclusive prompt photon-jet correlations as a probe of gluon saturation in electron-nucleus scattering at small x
Authors: Kolbe Isobel , Roy Kaushik , Salazar Farid , Schenke Björn , Venugopalan Raju
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We compute the differential cross-section for inclusive prompt photon+quark production in deeply inelastic scattering of electrons off nuclei at small x (e + A DIS) in the framework of the Color Glass Condensate effective field theory. The result is expressed as a convolution of the leading order (in the strong coupling αs) impact factor for the process and universal dipole matrix elements, in the limit of hard photon transverse momentum relative to the nuclear saturation scale Qs,A(x). We perform a numerical study of this process for the kinematics of the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), exploring in particular the azimuthal angle correlations between the final state photon and quark. We observe a systematic suppression and broadening pattern of the back-to-back peak in the relative azimuthal angle distribution, as the saturation scale is increased by replacing proton targets with gold nuclei. Our results suggest that photon+jet final states in inclusive e + A DIS at high energies are in general a promising channel for exploring gluon saturation that is complementary to inclusive and diffractive dijet production. They also provide a sensitive empirical test of the universality of dipole matrix elements when compared to identical measurements in proton-nucleus collisions. However because photon+jet correlations at small x in EIC kinematics require jet reconstruction at small k⊥, it will be important to study their feasibility relative to photon-hadron correlations.
Boundary conformal field theory at the extraordinary transition: The layer susceptibility to O(ε)
Authors: Shpot M. A.
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We present an analytic calculation of the layer (parallel) susceptibility at the extraordinary transition in a semi-infinite system with a flat boundary. Using the method of integral transforms put forward by McAvity and Osborn [Nucl. Phys. B455 (1995) 522] in the boundary CFT, we derive the coordinate-space representation of the mean-field propagator at the transition point. The simple algebraic structure of this function provides a practical possibility of higher-order calculations. Thus we calculate the explicit expression for the layer susceptibility at the extraordinary transition in the one-loop approximation. Our result is correct up to order O(ε) of the ε = 4 − d expansion and holds for arbitrary width of the layer and its position in the half-space. We discuss the general structure of our result and consider the limiting cases related to the boundary operator expansion and (bulk) operator product expansion. We compare our findings with previously known results and less complicated formulas in the case of the ordinary transition. We believe that analytic results for layer susceptibilities could be a good starting point for efficient calculations of two-point correlation functions. This possibility would be of great importance given the recent breakthrough in bulk and boundary conformal field theories in general dimensions.
Scrambling in Yang-Mills
Authors: de Mello Koch Robert , Gandote Eunice , Mahu Augustine Larweh
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Acting on operators with a bare dimension ∆ ∼ N2 the dilatation operator of U(N) $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super Yang-Mills theory defines a 2-local Hamiltonian acting on a graph. Degrees of freedom are associated with the vertices of the graph while edges correspond to terms in the Hamiltonian. The graph has p ∼ N vertices. Using this Hamiltonian, we study scrambling and equilibration in the large N Yang-Mills theory. We characterize the typical graph and thus the typical Hamiltonian. For the typical graph, the dynamics leads to scrambling in a time consistent with the fast scrambling conjecture. Further, the system exhibits a notion of equilibration with a relaxation time, at weak coupling, given by t ∼ $$ \frac{\rho }{\lambda } $$

ρ
λ

with λ the ’t Hooft coupling.
A Rényi quantum null energy condition: proof for free field theories
Authors: Moosa Mudassir , Rath Pratik , Su Vincent Paul
Published: January 2021

Abstract

The Quantum Null Energy Condition (QNEC) is a lower bound on the stress-energy tensor in quantum field theory that has been proved quite generally. It can equivalently be phrased as a positivity condition on the second null shape derivative of the relative entropy Srel(ρ||σ) of an arbitrary state ρ with respect to the vacuum σ. The relative entropy has a natural one-parameter family generalization, the Sandwiched Rényi divergence Sn(ρ||σ), which also measures the distinguishability of two states for arbitrary n ∈ [1/2, ∞). A Rényi QNEC, a positivity condition on the second null shape derivative of Sn(ρ||σ), was conjectured in previous work. In this work, we study the Rényi QNEC for free and superrenormalizable field theories in spacetime dimension d > 2 using the technique of null quantization. In the above setting, we prove the Rényi QNEC in the case n > 1 for arbitrary states. We also provide counterexamples to the Rényi QNEC for n < 1.
Evaporating black holes coupled to a thermal bath
Authors: Chen Hong Zhe , Fisher Zachary , Hernandez Juan , Myers Robert C. , Ruan Shan-Ming
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We study the doubly holographic model of [1] in the situation where a black hole in two-dimensional JT gravity theory is coupled to an auxiliary bath system at arbitrary finite temperature. Depending on the initial temperature of the black hole relative to the bath temperature, the black hole can lose mass by emitting Hawking radiation, stay in equilibrium with the bath or gain mass by absorbing thermal radiation from the bath. In all of these scenarios, a unitary Page curve is obtained by applying the usual prescription for holographic entanglement entropy and identifying the quantum extremal surface for the generalized entropy, using both analytical and numeric calculations. As the application of the entanglement wedge reconstruction, we further investigate the reconstruction of the black hole interior from a subsystem containing the Hawking radiation. We examine the roles of the Hawking radiation and also the purification of the thermal bath in this reconstruction.
Erratum to: Implications of the first detection of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) with liquid Argon
Authors: Miranda O. G. , Papoulias D. K. , Garcia G. Sanchez , Sanders O. , Tórtola M. , Valle J. W. F.
Published: January 2021

In this erratum we revise the left panel of figure 7 in the published version of ref. [1]. The contour area corresponding to the calculation of the CsI data was evaluated with the wrong sign and has led to an unexpected stripe. Here, in figure 1 we provide the correct result which is in agreement with ref. [1]. We thank Carlo Giunti for pointing out this error.
Transition of large R-charge operators on a conformal manifold
Authors: Sharon Adar , Watanabe Masataka
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We study the transition between phases at large R-charge on a conformal manifold. These phases are characterized by the behaviour of the lowest operator dimension ∆(QR) for fixed and large R-charge QR. We focus, as an example, on the D = 3, $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 Wess-Zumino model with cubic superpotential $$ W= XYZ+\frac{\tau }{6}\left({X}^3+{Y}^3+{Z}^3\right) $$
W
=
XYZ
+

τ
6

X
3

+

Y
3

+

Z
3

, and compute ∆(QR, τ) using the ϵ-expansion in three interesting limits. In two of these limits the (leading order) result turns out to be$$ \Delta \left({Q}_{R,\tau}\right)=\left\{\begin{array}{ll}\left(\mathrm{BPS}\;\mathrm{bound}\right)\left[1+O\left(\epsilon {\left|\tau \right|}^2{Q}_R\right)\right],& {Q}_R\ll \left\{\frac{1}{\epsilon },\kern0.5em \frac{1}{\epsilon {\left|\tau \right|}^2}\right\}\\ {}\frac{9}{8}{\left(\frac{\epsilon {\left|\tau \right|}^2}{2+{\left|\tau \right|}^2}\right)}^{\frac{1}{D-1}}{Q}_R^{\frac{D}{D-1}}\left[1+O\left({\left(\epsilon {\left|\tau \right|}^2{Q}_R\right)}^{-\frac{2}{D-1}}\right)\right],& {Q}_R\gg \left\{\begin{array}{ll}\frac{1}{\epsilon },& \frac{1}{\epsilon {\left|\tau \right|}^2}\end{array}\right\}\end{array}\right. $$
Δ

Q

R
,
τ

=

BPS

bound

1
+
O

ϵ

τ

2

Q
R

,

Q
R

≪

1
ϵ

1

ϵ

τ

2

9
8

ϵ

τ

2

2
+

τ

2

1

D
−
1

Q
R

D

D
−
1

1
+
O

ϵ

τ

2

Q
R

−

2

D
−
1

,

Q
R

≫

1
ϵ

,

1

ϵ

τ

2

which leads us to the double-scaling parameter, ϵ|τ|2QR, which interpolates between the “near-BPS phase” (∆(Q) ∼ Q) and the “superfluid phase” (∆(Q) ∼ QD/(D−1)) at large R-charge. This smooth transition, happening near τ = 0, is a large-R-charge manifestation of the existence of a moduli space and an infinite chiral ring at τ = 0. We also argue that this behavior can be extended to three dimensions with minimal modifications, and so we conclude that ∆(QR, τ) experiences a smooth transition around QR ∼ 1/|τ|2. Additionally, we find a first-order phase transition for ∆(QR, τ) as a function of τ, as a consequence of the duality of the model. We also comment on the applicability of our result down to small R-charge.