bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of European design provisions for buckling of aluminium members with longitudinal welds – part 1
Authors: Misiek Thomas , Norlin Bert , Gitter Reinhold , Höglund Torsten
Published: September 2021

As part of the ongoing revision of the Eurocodes, design provisions in EN 1999‐1‐1 on the buckling of longitudinally welded aluminium compression members have been subjected to a critical review. Numerical investigations were conducted because a need for improvement was identified. This part 1 of the paper describes the individual steps of the revision and the modifications discussed, which include the introduction of longitudinally welded members. Before going into the numerical investigations in more detail, previous observations are presented regarding buckling classes and plateau lengths. In part 1 of the paper, explanations of the numerical investigations are limited to presenting the modelling of the geometry, the mechanical properties and the imperfections as well as their respective variation in the context of the parametric studies. The results of the numerical investigations and the proposed design approaches will be presented in detail in parts 2 and 3.
H.pylori, part II: management in an era of antibiotic resistance
Authors: Hackett Richard J , Preston Sean L
Published: September 2021

Helicobacter pylori is an important pathogen to detect and eradicate, particularly as it is a known carcinogen. With rising antibiotic resistance control has become challenging. Here the authors propose a new algorithm for primary care and discuss managing treatment failure.
History of the prostate, part three: ‘the size of a filbert!’, open surgery
Authors: Goddard Jonathan Charles
Published: September 2021

In the first two articles in this series on the history of the prostate, we saw initially the recognition of the gland's existence and then the realisation that it caused lower urinary tract symptoms. In this article the author covers the progression of open surgery on the prostate.
Fetal myocardial deformation measured with two‐dimensional speckle‐tracking echocardiography: longitudinal prospective cohort study of 124 healthy fetuses
Authors: van Oostrum N. H. M. , de Vet C. M. , Clur S. B. , van der Woude D. A. A. , van den Heuvel E. R. , Oei S. G. , van Laar J. O. E. H.
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Two‐dimensional speckle‐tracking echocardiography (2D‐STE) is a promising technique which allows assessment of fetal cardiac function, and can be used in the evaluation of cardiac and non‐cardiac diseases in pregnancy. However, reliable fetal reference values for deformation parameters measured using 2D‐STE are needed before it can be introduced into clinical practice. This study aimed to obtain reference values for fetal global longitudinal strain (GLS) and GLS rate (GLSR) measured using 2D‐STE and compare right and left ventricular values.

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study of uncomplicated pregnancies that underwent echocardiography every 4 weeks from inclusion at 18–21 weeks until delivery to obtain four‐chamber loops of the fetal heart. Left and right ventricular GLS and GLSR were measured using 2D‐STE at each examination. Using Bayesian mixed‐effects models, reference values with lower and upper 5% prediction limits were calculated according to gestational age. Right and left ventricular GLS values according to gestational age were compared using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.

Results

A total of 592 left ventricular and 566 right ventricular GLS and GLSR measurements were obtained from 124 women with uncomplicated pregnancy and non‐anomalous, appropriately grown fetuses. Reference values were obtained for both fetal ventricles according to gestational week. GLS and GLSR values of both ventricles increased (i.e. became less negative) significantly during pregnancy. Right ventricular GLS values were significantly higher (i.e. less negative) than the respective left ventricular values at every gestational week.

Conclusions

Reference values were obtained for fetal GLS and GLSR measured using 2D‐STE. GLS and GLSR values increased significantly for both ventricles from the second trimester until delivery. GLS values were significantly higher for the right ventricle compared with the left ventricle. Future studies are needed to assess whether the obtained reference values are helpful in clinical practice in the assessment of pregnancy complications, such as fetal growth restriction or cardiac anomaly. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The golden jackal (Canis aureus) and the African swine fever pandemic: Its role is controversial but not negligible (a diet analysis study)
Authors: Kemenszky Péter , Jánoska Ferenc , Nagy Gábor , Csivincsik Ágnes
Published: September 2021

Background

In Europe, the African swine fever (ASF) pandemic mostly affects the environmental domain of health, which is a strongly human‐impacted ecosystem. However, the current control strategies focus solely on the wild boar and tend to disregard other epidemiologically relevant elements of the ecosystem.

Objectives

This study investigated the potential impact of the golden jackal on the surveillance effort and disease transmission.

Methods

For this reason, the authors analysed the content of 277 stomachs of this canid species within its westernmost inhabitant population, in order to determine the amount of suid remains, disposed.

Results

The findings confirmed that in a densely populated wild boar habitat, the main diet component of jackals was wild boar all the year round. The jackals disposed of 0.3–0.6 kg/km2/day offals that potentially contained suid remains. On the other hand, the scavenging activity removed the most important target objects on which the passive surveillance of ASF should be based.

Conclusions

This study cannot determine whether canid scavengers positively or negatively influence the control efforts; however, the impact of the jackal should not be disregarded. The results warn the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to complex epidemiological situations within different ecosystems.
Standing excision of a paranasal osteoma in a 3‐year‐old Standardbred gelding
Authors: Lean Natasha E. , McGarry Mark , Henderson Pippa E. , Ahern Benjamin J.
Published: September 2021

Osteomas are an uncommon benign neoplasia in horses, which most frequently affect the paranasal sinuses. There are only 25 reported cases in the literature. Clinical signs typically associated with paranasal osteoma formation include nasal discharge, ocular and/or facial swelling and distortion. Historically, surgical excision under general anaesthesia has been the standard approach for the treatment of large osteomas, with standing surgery reserved for small masses. This case report describes standing removal of an extensive paranasal osteoma through a maxillary bone flap, without recurrence. Long‐term follow up at 2 years confirmed a good cosmetic appearance and successful return to racing.
The double cone geometry is stable to brane nucleation
Authors: Mahajan Raghu , Marolf Donald , Santos Jorge E.
Published: September 2021

Abstract

In gauge/gravity duality, the bulk double cone geometry has been argued to account for a key feature of the spectral form factor known as the ramp. This feature is deeply associated with quantum chaos in the dual field theory. The connection with the ramp has been demonstrated in detail for two-dimensional theories of bulk gravity, but it appears natural in higher dimensions as well. In a general bulk theory the double cone might thus be expected to dominate the semiclassical bulk path integral for the boundary spectral form factor in the ramp regime. While other known spacetime wormholes have been shown to be unstable to brane nucleation when they dominate over known disconnected (factorizing) solutions, we argue below that the double cone is stable to semiclassical brane nucleation at the probe-brane level in a variety of string- and M-theory settings. Possible implications for the AdS/CFT factorization problem are briefly discussed.
Adhärenz digitaler Interventionen im Gesundheitswesen: Definitionen, Methoden und offene Fragen
Authors: Kernebeck Sven , Busse Theresa Sophie , Ehlers Jan Peter , Vollmar Horst Christian
Published: September 2021

Viele digitale Interventionen sind auf die Mitwirkung ihrer Nutzer*innen angewiesen, damit sie eine positive Wirkung erzielen können. In verschiedenen Bereichen ist zu beobachten, dass die Anwendung digitaler Interventionen durch Nutzer*innen oftmals nach einer kurzen Zeit reduziert oder in Gänze eingestellt wird. Dies wird als einer der wesentlichen Faktoren angesehen, der die Wirksamkeit digitaler Interventionen einschränken kann. In diesem Zusammenhang gewinnt das Konzept der Adhärenz (Einhalten therapeutischer Vorgaben) bei digitalen Interventionen zunehmend an Bedeutung. Definiert wird Adhärenz bei digitalen Interventionen etwa als „the degree to which the user followed the program as it was designed“ („Ausmaß, in dem die Nutzer*innen die Software so verwenden, wie sie konzipiert wurde“). Dies wird auch oftmals mit „intended use“ oder „use as it is designed“ umschrieben („bestimmungsgemäße Verwendung“ bzw. „Verwendung, wie es konzipiert wurde“). Jedoch finden sowohl die theoretisch-konzeptionelle als auch die praktische Auseinandersetzung hinsichtlich der Adhärenz bei digitalen Interventionen noch eine zu geringe Berücksichtigung in der Forschung.

Ziel dieses narrativen Übersichtsartikels ist es, das Konzept der Adhärenz bei digitalen Interventionen näher zu beleuchten und von verwandten Konzepten abzugrenzen. Zudem wird diskutiert, mit welchen Methoden und Messgrößen die Adhärenz operationalisiert werden kann und welche Prädiktoren die Adhärenz positiv beeinflussen. Weiterhin wird auf die Dosis-Wirkungs-Beziehung bei der Anwendung digitaler Interventionen eingegangen und auf Faktoren, die die Adhärenz positiv beeinflussen können. Abgeschlossen wird mit einer ethischen Betrachtung der Thematik.
Development of generalized tool life model for constant and variable speed turning
Authors: Albertelli Paolo , Mussi Valerio , Monno Michele
Published: September 2021

In this research, a generalized tool life modelling for considering non-stationary cutting conditions was developed . In particular, for the first time in literature, the model was conceived for predicting the life of the tool when spindle speed variation SSV, one of the most effective techniques for suppressing regenerative chatter vibrations, is used. The proposed formulation takes into account the main cutting parameters and the parameters associated to the SSV. A dedicated experimental campaign of turning tests was executed and the data were used for modelling purposes. The model validation was carried out performing additional tool life tests. According to the analyzed technological scenario, it was found that the generalized formulation can be used for predicting the tool life both at constant spindle machining CSM and adopting SSV with the maximum estimating error of 6%.
Immunothrombosis and new-onset atrial fibrillation in the general population: the Rotterdam Study
Authors: Tilly Martijn J. , Geurts Sven , Donkel Samantha J. , Ikram M. Arfan , de Groot Natasja M. S. , de Maat Moniek P. M. , Kavousi Maryam
Published: September 2021

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common age-related cardiac arrhythmia. The etiology underlying AF is still largely unknown. At the intersection of the innate immune system and hemostasis, immunothrombosis may be a possible cause of atrial remodeling, and therefore be an underlying cause of AF.

Methods

From 1990 to 2014, we followed participants aged 55 and over, free from AF at inclusion. Immunothrombosis factors fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, ADAMTS13, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) levels were measured at baseline. Participants were followed until either onset of AF, loss-to-follow-up, or reaching the end-date of 01-01-2014. Cox proportional hazard modelling was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors.

Results

We followed 6174 participants (mean age 69.1 years, 57% women) for a median follow-up time of 12.8 years. 364 men (13.7%, incidence rate 13.0/1000 person-years) and 365 women (10.4%, incidence rate 8.9/1000 person-years) developed AF. We found no significant association between markers of immunothrombosis and new-onset AF after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors [HR 1.00 (95% CI 0.93–1.08) for fibrinogen, 1.04 (0.97–1.12) for von Willebrand factor, 1.00 (1.00–1.01) for ADAMTS13, and 1.01 (0.94–1.09) for NETs]. In addition, we found no differences in associations between men and women.

Conclusion

We found no associations between markers of immunothrombosis and new-onset AF in the general population. Inflammation and immunothrombosis may be associated with AF through other cardiovascular risk factors or predisposing conditions of AF. Our findings challenge the added value of biomarkers in AF risk prediction.

Graphic abstract
China’s ban of imported recyclable waste and its impact on the waste plastic recycling industry in China and Taiwan
Authors: Yoshida Aya
Published: September 2021

In 2017 the Chinese government announced to a ban on the importation of several kinds of recyclable waste that could be replaced by domestic recyclable waste. Current research on this subject has placed an emphasis on the issues faced by exporting countries and Southeast Asia as an alternative destination of plastic wastes. However, there has been little study on changes in the waste recycling industry in China and other export destinations such as Taiwan. In this study, I conducted a field survey in China and Taiwan and reviewed the history of Chinese recyclable waste import policy and its impacts on plastic recycling industries. The results show that China switched from directly importing waste plastics from exporting countries to importing recycled pellets via third-party countries, primarily from Southeast Asia. Although Taiwan’s import volume of waste plastics has increased since 2018, improper (i.e. illegal) imports such as those commonly reported in Southeast Asian countries have not been reported in Taiwan. Even after Taiwan implemented tightened import controls in October 2018, it was still able to import enough recycled waste to meet domestic demand. The case of Taiwan shows that proper import controls can contribute to a more sustainable global circular economy.
Torsion Pairs and Ringel Duality for Schur Algebras
Authors: Erdmann Karin , Law Stacey
Published: September 2021

Let A be a finite-dimensional algebra over an algebraically closed field. We use a functorial approach involving torsion pairs to construct embeddings of endomorphism algebras of basic projective A–modules P into those of the torsion submodules of P. As an application, we show that blocks of both the classical and quantum Schur algebras S(2,r) and Sq(2,r) in characteristic p > 0 are Morita equivalent as quasi-hereditary algebras to their Ringel duals if they contain 2pk simple modules for some k.
Techniques for Turbulence Tripping of Boundary Layers in RANS Simulations
Authors: Tabatabaei Narges , Vinuesa Ricardo , Örlü Ramis , Schlatter Philipp
Published: September 2021

The exact placement of the laminar–turbulent transition has a significant effect on relevant characteristics of the boundary layer and aerodynamics, such as drag, heat transfer and flow separation on e.g. wings and turbine blades. Tripping, which fixes the transition position, has been a valuable aid to wind-tunnel testing during the past 70 years, because it makes the transition independent of the local condition of the free-stream. Tripping helps to obey flow similarity for scaled models and serves as a passive control mechanism. Fundamental fluid-mechanics studies and many engineering developments are based on tripped cases. Therefore, it is essential for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to replicate the same forced transition, in spite of the advanced improvements in transition modelling. In the last decade, both direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large-eddy simulations (LES) include tripping methods in an effort to avoid the need for modeling the complex mechanisms associated with the natural transition process, which we would like to bring over to Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence models. This paper investigates the implementation and performance of such a technique in RANS and specifically in the $$k-\omega$$

k
-
ω

SST model. This study assesses RANS tripping with three alternatives: First, a recent approach of turbulence generation, denoted as turbulence-injection method (kI), is evaluated and investigated through different test cases; second, a predefined transition point is used in a traditional transition model (denoted as IM method); and third a novel formulation combining the two previous methods is proposed, denoted $$\gamma -k$$

γ
-
k

I. The model is compared with DNS, LES and experimental data in a variety of test cases ranging from a turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate to the three-dimensional (3D) flow over a wing section. The desired tripping is achieved at the target location and the simulation results compare very well with the reference results. With the application of the novel model, the challenging transition region can be excluded from a simulation, and consequently more reliable results can be provided.
Incorporating dwelling mounds into induced seismic risk analysis for the Groningen gas field in the Netherlands
Authors: Kruiver Pauline P. , Pefkos Manos , Meijles Erik , Aalbersberg Gerard , Campman Xander , van der Veen Wim , Martin Antony , Ooms-Asshoff Kira , Bommer Julian J. , Rodriguez-Marek Adrian , Pinho Rui , Crowley Helen , Cavalieri Francesco , Correia António A. , van Elk Jan
Published: September 2021

In order to inform decision-making regarding measures to mitigate the impact of induced seismicity in the Groningen gas field in the Netherlands, a comprehensive seismic risk model has been developed. Starting with gas production scenarios and the consequent reservoir compaction, the model generates synthetic earthquake catalogues which are deployed in Monte Carlo analyses, predicting ground motions at a buried reference rock horizon that are combined with nonlinear amplification factors to estimate response spectral accelerations at the surface. These motions are combined with fragility functions defined for the exposed buildings throughout the region to estimate damage levels, which in turn are transformed to risk in terms of injury through consequence functions. Several older and potentially vulnerable buildings are located on dwelling mounds that were constructed from soils and organic material as a flood defence. These anthropogenic structures are not included in the soil profile models used to develop the amplification factors and hence their influence has not been included in the risk analyses to date. To address this gap in the model, concerted studies have been identified to characterize the dwelling mounds. These include new shear-wave velocity measurements that have enabled dynamic site response analyses to determine the modification of ground shaking due to the presence of the mound. A scheme has then been developed to incorporate the dwelling mounds into the risk calculations, which included an assessment of whether the soil-structure interaction effects for buildings founded on the mounds required modification of the seismic fragility functions.
Reduced menin expression leads to decreased ERα expression and is correlated with the occurrence of human luminal B-like and ER-negative breast cancer subtypes
Authors: Teinturier Romain , Abou Ziki Razan , Kassem Loay , Luo Yakun , Malbeteau Lucie , Gherardi Samuele , Corbo Laura , Bertolino Philippe , Bachelot Thomas , Treilleux Isabelle , Zhang Chang Xian , Le Romancer Muriel
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Menin, encoded by the MEN1 gene, was recently reported to be involved in breast cancers, though the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In the current study, we sought to further determine its role in mammary cells.

Methods

Menin expression in mammary lesions from mammary-specific Men1 mutant mice was detected using immunofluorescence staining. RT-qPCR and western blot were performed to determine the role of menin in ERα expression in human breast cancer cell lines. ChIP-qPCR and reporter gene assays were carried out to dissect the action of menin on the proximal ESR1 promoter. Menin expression in female patients with breast cancer was analyzed and its correlation with breast cancer subtypes was investigated.

Results

Immunofluorescence staining revealed that early mammary neoplasia in Men1 mutant mice displayed weak ERα expression. Furthermore, MEN1 silencing led to both reduced ESR1 mRNA and ERα protein expression in MCF7 and T47D cells. To further dissect the regulation of ESR1 transcription by menin, we examined whether and in which way menin could regulate the proximal ESR1 promoter, which has not been fully explored. Using ChIP analysis and reporter gene assays covering − 2500 bp to + 2000 bp of the TSS position, we showed that the activity of the proximal ESR1 promoter was markedly reduced upon menin downregulation independently of H3K4me3 status. Importantly, by analyzing the expression of menin in 354 human breast cancers, we found that a lower expression was associated with ER-negative breast cancer (P = 0.041). Moreover, among the 294 ER-positive breast cancer samples, reduced menin expression was not only associated with larger tumors (P = 0.01) and higher SBR grades (P = 0.005) but also with the luminal B-like breast cancer subtype (P = 0.006). Consistent with our clinical data, we demonstrated that GATA3 and FOXA1, co-factors in ESR1 regulation, interact physically with menin in MCF7 cells, and MEN1 knockdown led to altered protein expression of GATA3, the latter being a known marker of the luminal A subtype, in MCF7 cells.

Conclusion

Taken together, our data provide clues to the important role of menin in ERα regulation and the formation of breast cancer subtypes.
An Artist and a Writer: YA Literature by Anna Höglund
Authors: Palo Annbritt , Nordenstam Anna
Published: September 2021

This article highlights the interpictorality in two YA books by the Swedish writer and illustrator Anna Höglund,Om detta talar man endast med kaniner[This Is Something You Only Talk About with Rabbits] (2013) andAtt vara jag[To Be Me] (2015). The analysis of the visual intertextuality between pieces of artwork by Peter Tillberg, Frida Kahlo, Lena Cronqvist, Richard Bergh and René Magritte and five pictures from Höglund’s books thematises school, body and identity. The discursive positioning in the artworks and in Höglund’s pictures directs the readers in their decoding of Höglund’s text, offers possibilities in their interpretations and challenges the adolescent readers to make connections across different formats, such as text and image, and between different images.
The use of flow diagnostics to rank model ensembles
Authors: Watson Francesca , Krogstad Stein , Lie Knut-Andreas
Published: September 2021

Ensembles of geomodels provide an opportunity to investigate a range of parameters and possible operational outcomes for a reservoir. Full-featured dynamic modelling of all ensemble members is often computationally unfeasible, however some form of modelling, allowing us to discriminate between ensemble members based on their flow characteristics, is required. Flow diagnostics (based on a single-phase, steady-state simulation) can provide tools for analysing flow patterns in reservoir models but can be calculated in a much shorter time than a full-physics simulation. Heterogeneity measures derived from flow diagnostics can be used as proxies for oil recovery. More advanced flow diagnostic techniques can also be used to estimate recovery. With these tools we can rank ensemble members and choose a subset of models, representing a range of possible outcomes, which can then be simulated further. We demonstrate two types of flow diagnostics. The first are based on volume-averaged travel times, calculated on a cell by cell basis from a given flow field. The second use residence time distributions, which take longer to calculate but are more accurate and allow for direct estimation of recovery volumes. Additionally we have developed new metrics which work better for situations where we have a non-uniform initial saturation, e.g., a reservoir with an oil cap. Three different ensembles are analysed: Egg, Norne, and Brugge. Very good correlation, in terms of model ranking and recovery estimates, is found between flow diagnostics and full simulations for all three ensembles using both the cell-averaged and residence time based diagnostics.
What is a Conspiracy Theory?
Authors: Napolitano M. Giulia , Reuter Kevin
Published: September 2021

In much of the current academic and public discussion, conspiracy theories are portrayed as a negative phenomenon, linked to misinformation, mistrust in experts and institutions, and political propaganda. Rather surprisingly, however, philosophers working on this topic have been reluctant to incorporate a negatively evaluative aspect when either analyzing or engineering the concept conspiracy theory. In this paper, we present empirical data on the nature of the concept conspiracy theory from five studies designed to test the existence, prevalence and exact form of an evaluative dimension to the ordinary concept conspiracy theory. These results reveal that, while there is a descriptive concept of conspiracy theory, the predominant use of conspiracy theory is deeply evaluative, encoding information about epistemic deficiency and often also derogatory and disparaging information. On the basis of these results, we present a new strategy for engineering conspiracy theory to promote theoretical investigations and institutional discussions of this phenomenon. We argue for engineering conspiracy theory to encode an epistemic evaluation, and to introduce a descriptive expression—such as ‘conspiratorial explanation’—to refer to the purely descriptive concept conspiracy theory.
On the Harm of Imposing Risk of Harm
Authors: Maheshwari Kritika
Published: September 2021

What is wrong with imposing pure risks, that is, risks that don’t materialize into harm? According to a popular response, imposing pure risks is pro tanto wrong, when and because risk itself is harmful. Call this the Harm View. Defenders of this view make one of the following two claims. On the Constitutive Claim, pure risk imposition is pro tanto wrong when and because risk constitutes diminishing one’s well-being viz. preference-frustration or setting-back their legitimate interest in autonomy. On the Contingent Claim, pure risk imposition is pro tanto wrong when and because risk has harmful consequences for the risk-bearers, such as psychological distress. This paper argues that the Harm View is plausible only on the Contingent Claim, but fails on the Constitutive Claim. In discussing the latter, I argue that both the preference and autonomy account fail to show that risk itself is constitutively harmful and thereby wrong. In discussing the former, I argue that risk itself is contingently harmful and thereby wrong but only in a narrow range of cases. I conclude that while the Harm View can sometimes explain the wrong of imposing risk when (and because) risk itself is contingently harmful, it is unsuccessful as a general, exhaustive account of what makes pure imposition wrong.
Universal gates with wires in a row
Authors: Salo Ville
Published: September 2021

We give some optimal size generating sets for the group generated by shifts and local permutations on the binary full shift. We show that a single generator, namely the fully asynchronous application of the elementary cellular automaton 57 (or, by symmetry, ECA 99), suffices in addition to the shift. In the terminology of logical gates, we have a single reversible gate whose shifts generate all (finitary) reversible gates on infinitely many binary-valued wires that lie in a row and cannot (a priori) be rearranged. We classify pairs of words u, v such that the gate swapping these two words, together with the shift and the bit flip, generates all local permutations. As a corollary, we obtain analogous results in the case where the wires are arranged on a cycle, confirming a conjecture of Macauley-McCammond-Mortveit and Vielhaber.
Brief Report: Feasibility of the Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task as an Outcome Measure in an Intervention Trial for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Schmitt Lauren M. , Sweeney John A. , Erickson Craig A. , Shaffer Rebecca
Published: September 2021

Cognitive flexibility deficits are a hallmark feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but few evidence-based behavioral interventions have successfully addressed this treatment target. Outcome measurement selection may help account for previous findings. The probabilistic reversal learning task (PRL) is a measure of cognitive flexibility previously validated for use in ASD, but its use as an outcome measure has not yet been assessed. The current study examined the feasibility, reproducibility, and sensitivity of PRL in a within-subjects trial of Regulating Together, a group-based intervention targeting emotion regulation. We demonstrated the PRL is highly feasible, showed test–retest reproducibility, and is sensitive to detect change following the intervention. Our findings demonstrate the PRL task may be a useful outcome measure of cognitive flexibility in future intervention trials in ASD.
A modified simplex partition algorithm to test copositivity
Authors: Safi Mohammadreza , Nabavi Seyed Saeed , Caron Richard J.
Published: September 2021

A real symmetric matrix A is copositive if $$x^\top Ax\ge 0$$

x
⊤

A
x
≥
0

for all $$x\ge 0$$

x
≥
0

. As A is copositive if and only if it is copositive on the standard simplex, algorithms to determine copositivity, such as those in Sponsel et al. (J Glob Optim 52:537–551, 2012) and Tanaka and Yoshise (Pac J Optim 11:101–120, 2015), are based upon the creation of increasingly fine simplicial partitions of simplices, testing for copositivity on each. We present a variant that decomposes a simplex $$\bigtriangleup $$
△
, say with n vertices, into a simplex $$\bigtriangleup _1$$

△
1

and a polyhedron $$\varOmega _1$$

Ω
1

; and then partitions $$\varOmega _1$$

Ω
1

into a set of at most $$(n-1)$$

(
n
-
1
)

simplices. We show that if A is copositive on $$\varOmega _1$$

Ω
1

then A is copositive on $$\bigtriangleup _1$$

△
1

, allowing us to remove $$\bigtriangleup _1$$

△
1

from further consideration. Numerical results from examples that arise from the maximum clique problem show a significant reduction in the time needed to establish copositivity of matrices.
Generating contrastive explanations for inductive logic programming based on a near miss approach
Authors: Rabold Johannes , Siebers Michael , Schmid Ute
Published: September 2021

In recent research, human-understandable explanations of machine learning models have received a lot of attention. Often explanations are given in form of model simplifications or visualizations. However, as shown in cognitive science as well as in early AI research, concept understanding can also be improved by the alignment of a given instance for a concept with a similar counterexample. Contrasting a given instance with a structurally similar example which does not belong to the concept highlights what characteristics are necessary for concept membership. Such near misses have been proposed by Winston (Learning structural descriptions from examples, 1970) as efficient guidance for learning in relational domains. We introduce an explanation generation algorithm for relational concepts learned with Inductive Logic Programming (GeNME). The algorithm identifies near miss examples from a given set of instances and ranks these examples by their degree of closeness to a specific positive instance. A modified rule which covers the near miss but not the original instance is given as an explanation. We illustrateGeNMEwith the well-known family domain consisting of kinship relations, the visual relational Winston arches domain, and a real-world domain dealing with file management. We also present a psychological experiment comparing human preferences of rule-based, example-based, and near miss explanations in the family and the arches domains.
Are cities prepared for climate change? An analysis of adaptation readiness in 104 German cities
Authors: Otto Antje , Göpfert Christian , Thieken Annegret H.
Published: September 2021

A﻿bstract

Cities can be severely affected by climate change. Hence, many of them have started to develop climate adaptation strategies or implement measures to help prepare for the challenges it will present. This study aims to provide an overview of climate adaptation in 104 German cities. While existing studies on adaptation tracking rely heavily on self-reported data or the mere existence of adaptation plans, we applied the broader concept of adaptation readiness, considering five factors and a total of twelve different indicators, when making our assessments. We clustered the cities depending on the contribution of these factors to the overall adaptation readiness index and grouped them according to their total score and cluster affiliations. This resulted in us identifying four groups of cities. First, a pioneering group comprises twelve (mainly big) cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants, which showed high scores for all five factors of adaptation readiness. Second, a set of 36 active cities, which follow different strategies on how to deal with climate adaptation. Third, a group of 28 cities showed considerably less activity toward climate adaptation, while a fourth set of 28 mostly small cities (with between 50,000 and 99,999 inhabitants) scored the lowest. We consider this final group to be pursuing a ‘wait-and-see’ approach. Since the city size correlates with the adaptation readiness index, we recommend policymakers introduce funding schemes that focus on supporting small cities, to help them prepare for the impact of a changing climate.
Initial recovery of demersal fish communities in coastal waters of Hong Kong, South China, following a trawl ban
Authors: Mak Yanny K. Y. , Tao Lily S. R. , Ho Valerie C. M. , Dudgeon David , Cheung William W. L. , Leung Kenneth M. Y.
Published: September 2021

Fisheries resources in Hong Kong have been overexploited since the 1970s due to intensive bottom trawling and other fishing activities that have depleted stocks and destroyed marine habitat. To rehabilitate depleted fisheries resources, a permanent ban on trawling in Hong Kong territorial waters came into force on December 31, 2012. In order to determine whether the trawl facilitated recovery of fish communities, trawl surveys were conducted at two sites in each of the eastern, southern and western (estuarine) coastal waters of Hong Kong before and three years after the trawl ban. A total of 315 species and 86 families of fishes in nine feeding groups were encountered during the surveys. Mean trophic level of the fish community, abundance and biomass of total fishes and of predatory fishes increased in eastern and western waters after the ban, but no changes or declines in these metrics were observed in southern waters. Although initial recovery in fish community were observed in eastern and western waters, anthropogenic disturbances might hinder the recovery process, including a large-scale reclamation for construction of coastal infrastructures in the west, illegal trawling, and expansion of non-trawling fishing efforts in the southern and eastern waters. Longer term monitoring is needed to evaluate the effects of the trawl ban, and determine whether recovery in the southern waters will continue to be constrained by the anthropogenic disturbances.

Graphic abstract
Thigmomorphogenic responses of epiphytic bromeliads to mechanically induced stress
Authors: Tay Jessica Y. L. , Zotz Gerhard , Einzmann Helena J. R.
Published: September 2021

Vascular epiphytes represent almost 10% of all terrestrial plant diversity. Despite the extensive research on the functional ecology and challenges of epiphytic growth, there is still very little known on how exposure to mechanically induced stress affects the growth and development of epiphytes. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of such mechanical stress on the growth and biomass allocation of epiphytic bromeliads. Juvenile plants of two species were subjected to two types of mechanical stress in the greenhouse—permanent displacement and temporary, recurring mechanical flexing. ANOVAs were used to test possible treatment effects on growth, root–shoot ratio, root diameter, and root area distribution ratio. Contrary to previous studies on herbaceous plants, these bromeliads showed little to no change in root and shoot properties in either species. The root–shoot ratio increased in disturbedGuzmania lingulataplants, but not inVrieseasp. Treatment effects on growth were inconsistent: a stress effect on growth was significant only in the first 2 months of the experiment inG. lingulata, whilst none of the stress treatments negatively affected growth inVrieseasp. All disturbed plants showed some degree of curvature on their stems and leaves against the area of stress to obtain an upright position. This was probably related to the maintenance of a functional tank. This study provides quantitative and qualitative data to understand thigmomorphogenic responses of bromeliads to mechanical stress. Future studies could include field surveys to quantify on-site mechanical stresses and the corresponding morphological changes in vascular epiphytes.
Multi-Model Coupling Water Demand Prediction Optimization Method for Megacities Based on Time Series Decomposition
Authors: Liu Xin , Sang Xuefeng , Chang Jiaxuan , Zheng Yang
Published: September 2021

The water supply in megacities can be affected by the living habits and population mobility, so the fluctuation degree of daily water supply data is acute, which presents a great challenge to the water demand prediction. This is because that non-stationarity of daily data can have a large influence on the generalization ability of models. In this study, the Hodrick-Prescott (HP) and wavelet transform (WT) methods were used to carry out decomposition of daily data to solve the non-stationarity problem. The bidirectional long short term memory (BLSTM), seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and Gaussian radial basis function neural network (GRBFNN) were developed to carry out prediction of different subseries. The ensemble learning was introduced to improve the generalization ability of models, and prediction interval was generated based on student's t-test to cope with the variation of water supply laws. This study method was applied to the daily water demand prediction in Shenzhen and cross-validation was performed. The results show that WT is superior to HP decomposition method, but maximum decomposition level of WT should not be set too high, otherwise the trend characteristics of subseries will be weakened. Although the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused a variation in water supply laws, this variation is still within the prediction interval. The WT and coupling models accurately predict water demand and provide the optimal mean square error (0.17%), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (97.21%), mean relative error (0.1), mean absolute error (3.32%), and correlation coefficient (0.99).
Prognostic factors for lymph node metastasis from upper gingival carcinomas
Authors: Aldosimani Mazen , Verdonschot Rinus G. , Iwamoto Yuri , Nakazawa Mitsuhiro , Mallya Sanjay M. , Kakimoto Naoya , Toyosawa Satoru , Kreiborg Sven , Murakami Shumei
Published: September 2021

Objectives

This study sought to identify tumor characteristics that associate with regional lymph node metastases in squamous cell carcinomas originating in the upper gingiva.

Materials and methods

Data from 113 patients from Osaka University Dental Hospital were included. We measured each primary tumor’s width, length, depth, and the extent of bone invasion. Additionally, tumor signal intensity for T1 and T2-weighted images as well as the center of the tumor’s location and T classification was assessed, and a histopathological analysis was performed.

Results

Tumor signal intensity was not found to be a significant prognostic factor. However, bucco-lingual width, histopathological classification as well as the tumor’s location were significantly different between metastatic and non-metastatic groups in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Superior–inferior depth and T classification were significant only in the univariate (and not the multivariate) analysis.

Conclusions

Bucco-lingual width, histopathological grading as well as the tumor’s location are likely to be important predictors for the occurrence of LN metastasis in upper gingival carcinoma patients and should be considered when managing care for these patients.
Supercritical water oxidation of phenol and process enhancement with in situ formed Fe2O3 nano catalyst
Authors: Al-Atta Ammar , Sher Farooq , Hazafa Abu , Zafar Ayesha , Iqbal Hafiz M. N. , Karahmet Emina , Lester Edward
Published: September 2021

During the past few decades, the treatment of hazardous waste and toxic phenolic compounds has become a major issue in the pharmaceutical, gas/oil, dying, and chemical industries. Considering polymerization and oxidation of phenolic compounds, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) has gained special attention. The present study objective was to synthesize a novel in situ Fe2O3nano-catalyst in a counter-current mixing reactor by supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) method to evaluate the phenol oxidation and COD reduction at different operation conditions like oxidant ratios and concentrations. Synthesized nano-catalyst was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). TEM results revealed the maximum average particle size of 26.18 and 16.20 nm for preheated and non-preheated oxidant configuration, respectively. XRD showed the clear peaks of hematite at a 2θ value of 24, 33, 35.5, 49.5, 54, 62, and 64 for both catalysts treated preheated and non-preheated oxidant configurations. The maximum COD reduction and phenol oxidation of about 93.5% and 99.9% were observed at an oxidant ratio of 1.5, 0.75 s, 25 MPa, and 380 °C with a non-preheated H2O2 oxidant, while in situ formed Fe2O3nano-catalyst showed the maximum phenol oxidation of 99.9% at 0.75 s, 1.5 oxidant ratio, 25 MPa, and 380 °C. Similarly, in situ formed Fe2O3 catalyst presented the highest COD reduction of 97.8% at 40 mM phenol concentration, 1.0 oxidant ratio, 0.75 s residence time, 380 °C, and 25 MPa. It is concluded and recommended that SCWO is a feasible and cost-effective alternative method for the destruction of contaminants in water which showed the complete conversion of phenol within less than 1 s and 1.5 oxidant ratio.
Research Directions in the Study of Gaming-Related Escapism: a Commentary to Melodia, Canale, and Griffiths (2020)
Authors: Giardina Alessandro , Starcevic Vladan , King Daniel L. , Schimmenti Adriano , Di Blasi Maria , Billieux Joël
Published: September 2021

Escapism motivations and related processes (e.g., avoidance, dissociation, relaxation, and emotion dysregulation) have been identified as risk factors for problematic gaming. However, the escapism construct has often been poorly conceptualized and operationalized in assessment instruments. In their systematic review, Melodia et al. (2020) proposed that conceptualizing escapism as an avoidant coping strategy could provide a sound basis for further study of problematic gaming. In this commentary, we critically examine some terminological and conceptual issues in relation to escapism to guide future research.
Detection of genome edits in plants—from editing to seed
Authors: Shillito Raymond D. , Whitt Sherry , Ross Margit , Ghavami Farhad , De Vleesschauwer David , D’Halluin Katelijn , Van Hoecke Annelies , Meulewaeter Frank
Published: September 2021

Genome editing (also known as gene editing) employs a range of tools such as Meganucleases, Zinc Finger Nucleases, TALENs, and more recently CRISPR to make defined changes in genes, regulatory sequences, untranslated regions, or intergenic regions. It is increasingly being applied in plant science research and to improve plant varieties. The benefits of having effective detection tools begin with optimization of the genome editing process itself and continue with selection and characterization of tissue cultures and/or regenerated plants. Detection tools are also used throughout the breeding process, and for preparation of regulatory dossiers when required, as well as for seed production, and may be necessary for monitoring products in the marketplace. Detection and identification of genome edits employs a wide range of analytical approaches including PCR, digital PCR, and sequencing methods. This article examines the applicability of each category of detection or identification approach, from the optimization of genome editing processes, through creation of edits, selection and characterization, and breeding. The challenges surrounding the detection of genome edits present at low levels in large seed, plant, or grain populations and of differentiating directed genome edits from conventional mutations are also explained.
Distributed Address Table (DAT): A Decentralized Model for End-to-End Communication in IoT
Authors: Alshawki Mohammed B. , Ligeti Peter , Nagy Adam , Reich Christoph
Published: September 2021

To achieve a fully connected network in Internet of Things (IoT) there are number of challenges that have to be overcome. Among those, a big challenge is how to keep all of the devices accessible everywhere and every time. In the IoT network, the assumption is that each IoT device can be reached by any client at any given time. In practice, this is not always possible and without a proper mechanism the nodes behind a NAT are unable to communicate with each other directly, and their addresses have to be shared through a trusted third party. This challenge becomes harder by taking into consideration that most NAT traversal approaches have been developed prior to rising of the IoT, without taking into account the constrained nature of the participating devices and mostly depend on a centralized entity. In this paper we proposed the Distributed Address Table (DAT), a decentralized, secure and lightweight address distribution model that allows any two nodes to get the addresses of the other end without relying on a trusted third party. Structured Peer-to-Peer (P2P) overlay by utilizing Distributed Hash Table (DHT) technique is generated as its underlying communication scheme to ensure that all participating devices are accessible at any given time. This is achieved through simple, yet secure and efficient decentralized model. The DAT adopts the edge/fog computing paradigms to ensure a decentralized address distribution. The results showed that the proposed model is efficient. In addition, the security properties of the proposed model have been defined and proved.
Relating Equanimity to Mindfulness
Authors: Anālayo Bhikkhu
Published: September 2021

A recent surge of interest in equanimity as an important and transformative dimension of the cultivation of mindfulness can benefit from discerning different types of equanimity recognized in the Buddhist traditions, such as between equanimity as a divine abode or immeasurable and equanimity as the absence of compulsive reactivity by way of likes and dislikes. In order to provide an early Buddhist background to a more fine-grained understanding of the construct of equanimity, the present article surveys key passages on equanimity in their relationship to mindfulness.