bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monolayer Plasmonic Nanoframes as Large‐Area, Broadband Metasurface Absorbers
Authors: Li Yuanwei , Tanriover Ibrahim , Zhou Wenjie , Hadibrata Wisnu , Dereshgi Sina Abedini , Samanta Devleena , Aydin Koray , Mirkin Chad A.
Published: July 2022

Broadband absorbers are useful ultraviolet protection, energy harvesting, sensing, and thermal imaging. The thinner these structures are, the more device‐relevant they become. However, it is difficult to synthesize ultrathin absorbers in a scalable and straightforward manner. A general and straightforward synthetic strategy for preparing ultrathin, broadband metasurface absorbers that do not rely on cumbersome lithographic steps is reported. These materials are prepared through the surface‐assembly of plasmonic octahedral nanoframes (NFs) into large‐area ordered monolayers via drop‐casting with subsequent air‐drying at room temperature. This strategy is used to produce three types of ultrathin broadband absorbers with thicknesses of ≈200 nm and different lattice symmetries (loose hexagonal, twisted hexagonal, dense hexagonal), all of which exhibit efficient light absorption (≈90%) across wavelengths ranging from 400–800 nm. Their broadband absorption is attributed to the hollow morphologies of the NFs, the incorporation of a high‐loss material (i.e., Pt), and the strong field enhancement resulting from surface assembly. The broadband absorption is found to be polarization‐independent and maintained for a wide range of incidence angles (±45°). The ability to design and fabricate broadband metasurface absorbers using this high‐throughput surface‐based assembly strategy is a significant step toward the large‐scale, rapid manufacturing of nanophotonic structures and devices.
Semantic Integration and Interoperability
Authors: Auer Sören
Published: July 2022

A key aspect of establishing data spaces is to develop a common understanding of the data to be shared in the data space. Semantic standards and technologies were developed for this purpose since over two decades. In this article, we will discuss the history and importance of semantic integration for data spaces. We will introduce the base concepts of semantic integration—including the global identifiers for data and the W3C standards RDF, RDF-Schema, and OWL. As a result these standards and technologies can be used to devise versatile Knowledge Graphs capturing domain conceptualizations and concrete data representations. We explain how data interoperability can be achieved by linking and mapping between different data and knowledge representations. Finally we will showcase their use with an example for data integration in supply chains with the ScorVoc vocabulary.
Silicon Economy: Logistics as the Natural Data Ecosystem
Authors: ten Hompel Michael , Schmidt Michael
Published: July 2022

The “Silicon Economy” is synonymous with a coming digital infrastructure (digital ecosystem) based on the automated negotiation, disposition, and control of flows of goods, enabling new, digital business models (not only) for logistics. This infrastructure requires and enables the trading of data without losing sovereignty over the data. It is the digital infrastructure and environment for the highly distributed AI algorithms along value networks. In contrast to oligopolistic developments in the B2C sector (amazon.com, AirBnB, Alibaba, Uber, etc.), the Silicon Economy is a federated and decentralized platform ecosystem, the basic components of which are made available to the general public as open source for free use.

The Silicon Economy ecosystem is becoming an enabler of supply chain ecosystems in which goods, autonomously controlled by Artificial Intelligence (AI), undergo orchestrated processes according to the situation.

This article focuses on the origins and potentials but also on the technological foundations and challenges of the transformation toward a Silicon Economy.
Medical Data Spaces in Healthcare Data Ecosystems
Authors: Berlage Thomas , Claussen Carsten , Geisler Sandra , Velasco Carlos A. , Decker Stefan
Published: July 2022

Exchange of sensitive medical data between healthcare providers and researchers requires a particularly high level of trust and security. Involving patients and citizen into this process increases transparency and may improve the outcome of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures. We propose to build the structure of a healthcare ecosystem on the basis of “apps” that not only hold (and exchange) health data but support user interaction and healthcare process management. Emphasis on process support may also be used to improve data quality, which is an important prerequisite for evidence-based medicine and the training and usage of future AI tools.
Industrial Data Spaces
Authors: Usländer Thomas , Teuscher Andreas
Published: July 2022

This chapter describes the application of the IDS principles, architectural artifacts, and technologies to the application domain of industrial production and smart manufacturing, in particular as drafted by the Platform Industrie 4.0 in their Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI4.0) and follow-on specifications about the Asset Administration Shell (AAS). It elaborates on the working approach of the IDS-Industrial Community (IDS-I) for the analysis of requirements on data sovereignty. This activity is motivated by the vision 2030 of the Platform Industrie 4.0 that states autonomy, including data sovereignty, as one strategic field of action.

The chapter presents how IDS-I aims at systematically deriving and analyzing data sovereignty aspects from the two reference use cases, Collaborative Condition Monitoring (CCM) and Smart Factory Web (SFW), in order to identify architectural and technological synergies and gaps between the International Data Spaces (IDS) and the specifications of the Platform Industrie 4.0.
Data Sharing Spaces: The BDVA Perspective
Authors: Curry Edward , Tuikka Tuomo , Metzger Andreas , Zillner Sonja , Bertels Natalie , Ducuing Charlotte , Dalle Carbonare Davide , Gusmeroli Sergio , Scerri Simon , López de Vallejo Irene , García Robles Ana
Published: July 2022

Using data and Artificial Intelligence, it is possible to answer the big questions, how sustainable the planet is or what impact industry has on climate. The Big Data Value Association (BDVA) believes that Data Sharing Spaces will be a key enabler to this vision. The BDVA community has created a unified perspective on the value of data sharing spaces across the pillars of data, governance, people, organization, and technology, with trust as a central foundation. This chapter details this BDVA perspective, explaining the five pillars needed to create value in data with trust as a central concept, together with the tools and mechanisms for strategic stakeholders to create data sharing spaces jointly. It elaborates the strategic challenges which need to be overcome and sets out our call to action for the community to make this a reality. The chapter also summarizes the initial progress on data platform development, data governance, and Trustworthy AI to make data sharing spaces a reality. Finally, it details an example of a data space in smart manufacturing.
Sovereign Cloud Technologies for Scalable Data Spaces
Authors: Holfelder Wieland , Mayer Andreas , Baumgart Thomas
Published: July 2022

The cloud has changed the way we consume technology either as individual users or in a business context. However, cloud computing can only transform organizations, create innovation, or provide the ability to scale digital business models if there is trust in the cloud and if the data that is being generated, processed, exchanged, and stored in the cloud has the appropriate safeguards. Therefore, sovereignty and control over data and its protection are paramount. Data spaces provide organizations with additional capabilities to govern strict data usage rules over the whole life cycle of information sharing with others and enable new use cases and new business models where data can be securely shared among a defined set of collaborators and with clear and enforceable usage rights attached to create new value. Open and sovereign cloud technologies will provide the necessary transparency, control, and the highest levels of privacy and security that are required to fully leverage the potential of such data spaces. Digital sovereignty, however, still means many things to many people. So to make it more concrete, in this article, we will look at digital sovereignty across three layers: data sovereignty, operational sovereignty, and software sovereignty. With these layers, we will create a spectrum of solutions that enable scalable data spaces that will be critical for the digital transformation of the European economy.
Huawei and International Data Spaces
Authors: O’Brien Martin A. , Mohally David , Brasche Götz P. , Sanfilippo Andrea G.
Published: July 2022

In a digitalized and deeply interconnected industrial ecosystem, it is of paramount importance to create mechanisms that seamlessly guarantee standardization and verifiability, interoperability (including regional legislation), transparency, and trustworthiness, in particular in the intermediation of all businesses and stakeholders, including SMEs. In this respect, the International Data Spaces and GAIA-X initiatives pave the way to a framework for collaboration that use secure and trusted data services to safeguard digital sovereignty.

Huawei is a leading ICT provider, operating in more than 170 countries, and an active member of more than 600 standardization bodies and industry associations, among them IDS and GAIA-X. With their international footprint, IDS and GAIA-X are of the utmost importance for Huawei in Germany, Europe, and globally. Here, we provide a brief overview of our understanding of the data ecosystem’s inherent issues, and how regulations address them, followed by more specific examples of how IDS and GAIA-X objectives can be supported by Huawei, with emphasis on validating concepts in the manufacturing domain as a prominent reference example for an important European market vertical. We illustrate the use case of an evolved implementation of Industry 4.0 that integrates machines and cloud services. 5G connectivity for trusted networked production is added to the example. We finally highlight the use of GAIA-X compliant federated AI for control, maintenance, and match-making of demand and supply actors.
International Collaboration Between Data Spaces and Carrier Networks
Authors: Sakaino Akira
Published: July 2022

NTT, headquartered in Japan, is a global ICT company with data centers, network facilities, R&D centers, and business locations all over the world. It is developing new data infrastructures that utilize next-generation information communications technology and digital twin computing. This section introduces NTT’s R&D activities, services and solutions, and future initiatives to ensure security, compliance, fairness, transparency, and interoperability in the global data space. The details are as follows:

Concerns and issues regarding the cross-border sharing and use of industrial IoT data between multiple companies

Use cases considered by RRI (Robot Revolution and Industrial IoT Initiative) and requirements for global data spaces

Next-generation optical and wireless network “IOWN” and highly reliable data infrastructure “SDPF with Trust” proposed by NTT to realize data spaces that meet requirements for global data spaces

Demonstration system and international interconnection experiments using IDS Connectors to connect data spaces between Japan and Europe

Ideal international data platform architecture that connects GAIA-X compliant data spaces to networks of telecommunications carriers in various countries

Concept of a digital immune system “Global autonomic nerve” that combines data spaces with IoT and AI to achieve sustainable governance of economic activities and the global ecosystem
Competition, Security, and Transparency: Data in Connected Vehicles
Authors: Schulze Karsten
Published: July 2022

State-of-the-art cars are increasingly becoming computers on wheels, constantly collecting, storing, and transmitting data. This goes hand in hand with better market opportunities for certain service providers with access to the data.

There is still no clear legal regulation on who the customer can share their data with—and in what way—nor how transparency and security can be guaranteed for such data in the process. Without legal regulation of data access, there will be no way to ensure a level playing field among providers and freedom of choice for consumers in the future.

Three basic principles apply to the access to vehicle data:

Third-party service providers should be able to develop new services without depending on car manufacturers.

Independent service providers, such as independent workshops, insurers, and automobile clubs, should be able to reach customers through the same channels as the vehicle manufacturers.

Vehicle manufacturers should not be allowed to monitor vehicle users or the service providers selected by vehicle owners.
The Energy Data Space: The Path to a European Approach for Energy
Authors: Gouriet Martine , Barancourt Hervé , Boust Marianne , Calvez Philippe , Laskowski Michael , Taillandier Anne-Sophie , Tilman Loïc , Uslar Mathias , Warweg Oliver
Published: July 2022

Trusted data spaces supporting energy services and fostering collaboration between all stakeholders are a cornerstone of the decarbonization of the sector. Today, a broad representation of European energy companies and academic and technological partners has joined GAIA-X to build the European energy data space. The group represents all segments of the energy value chain and is from all around Europe.

Through this data space, we aim to address the following challenges: accelerate the deployment of low carbon energy solutions, foster energy efficiency and sector coupling (power, gas, and heating, integration of mobility and building/heating systems, etc.), enable more flexibility and renewable energy integration to the European electric system, accelerate the sector digitalization, and ultimately support Europe competitiveness, thanks to low energy costs.

To achieve these goals, strong collaboration between the actors is needed to identify and launch valuable use cases on key topics: renewables, hydrogen, nuclear, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, local energy communities, networks, or compliance and traceability.

The article is a collaborative effort, initiated in February 2021, from the French, German, and Belgium energy communities within GAIA-X national hubs. The intention is to provide insight on the work of the GAIA-X energy Domain, to share widely our ecosystem’s expectations, and to provide an overview of use cases identified.
Tokenomics: Decentralized Incentivization in the Context of Data Spaces
Authors: Jürjens Jan , Scheider Simon , Yildirim Furkan , Henke Michael
Published: July 2022

A significant challenge in bootstrapping a jointly used infrastructure such as Data Spaces is to incentivize the participants to invest in setting up the infrastructure. In this chapter, we investigate this challenge and possible solutions, focusing on an approach called “Tokenomics.”

The incentivization scheme should be utilized by governance frameworks, in which the participants of Data Spaces remain capable of action and independent through automated, effective, and fair decision-making processes. Also, potential participants should be motivated to participate in the establishment and further development of the system, while on the other hand, undesirable behavior should be penalized. In combination with distributed ledger technology (DLT) and machine-readable, legally compliant smart contracts, participant behavior can be affected in such a way that both data quality and quantity are improved for the whole Data Space.

To derive possible design options for Tokenomics approaches, we examine different token frameworks and their impact on participants. The investigation of the frameworks is carried out taking into account five significant domains: technical, behavior, inherent value, coordination, and pseudo-archetypes. Furthermore, we investigate which token designs provide smaller or larger incentives in order to join or maintain a DLT-based ecosystem.
Building Trust in Data Spaces
Authors: Huber Monika , Wessel Sascha , Brost Gerd , Menz Nadja
Published: July 2022

Data is becoming increasingly valuable and must be protected. At the same time, data becomes an economic asset and companies can benefit from exchanging data with each other. The International Data Spaces enable companies to share data while ensuring data sovereignty and security.

Data providers can keep control over the processing of their data by utilizing usage control policies, including the verification that these usage control policies are enforced by the data consumer. For this, data processing devices, called connectors, must prove their identity and the integrity of their software stack and state.

In this chapter, we present the overall security concept for building trust in data spaces enabling data sovereignty and usage control enforcement. The concept builds on a certification process for components and operational environments utilizing the multiple eye principle. This process is technically mapped to a public key infrastructure providing digital certificates for connector identities and software signing. Finally, the third building block is the architecture and system security of the connectors where usage control must be enforced, the identity and integrity of other connectors and their software stack and state must be verified, and the actual data processing happens.
Causal structures and nonlocality in double holography
Authors: Omiya Hidetoshi , Wei Zixia
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Double holography plays a crucial role in recent studies of Hawking radiation and information paradox by relating an intermediate picture, in which a dynamical gravity living on an end-of-the-world brane is coupled to a non-gravitational heat bath, to a much better-understood BCFT picture as well as a bulk picture. In this paper, causal structures in generic double holographic setups are studied. We find that the causal structure in the bulk picture is compatible with causality in the BCFT picture, thanks to a generalization of the Gao-Wald theorem. On the other hand, consistency with the bulk causal structure requires the effective theory in the intermediate picture to contain a special type of super-luminal and nonlocal effect which is significant at long range or IR. These are confirmed by both geometrical analysis and commutators of microscopic fields. Subregion correspondences in double holography are discussed with the knowledge of this nonlocality. Possible fundamental origins of this nonlocality and its difference with other types of nonlocality will also be discussed.
Essential m-dissipativity for Possibly Degenerate Generators of Infinite-dimensional Diffusion Processes
Authors: Eisenhuth Benedikt , Grothaus Martin
Published: July 2022

First essential m-dissipativity of an infinite-dimensional Ornstein-Uhlenbeck operator N, perturbed by the gradient of a potential, on a domain $$\mathcal {F}C_b^{\infty }$$

F

C
b
∞

of finitely based, smooth and bounded functions, is shown. Our considerations allow unbounded diffusion operators as coefficients. We derive corresponding second order regularity estimates for solutions f of the Kolmogorov equation $$\alpha f-Nf=g$$

α
f
-
N
f
=
g

, $$\alpha \in (0,\infty )$$

α
∈
(
0
,
∞
)

, generalizing some results of Da Prato and Lunardi. Second, we prove essential m-dissipativity for generators $$(L_{\Phi },\mathcal {F}C_b^{\infty })$$

(

L
Φ

,
F

C
b
∞

)

of infinite-dimensional degenerate diffusion processes. We emphasize that the essential m-dissipativity of $$(L_{\Phi },\mathcal {F}C_b^{\infty })$$

(

L
Φ

,
F

C
b
∞

)

is useful to apply general resolvent methods developed by Beznea, Boboc and Röckner, in order to construct martingale/weak solutions to infinite-dimensional non-linear degenerate stochastic differential equations. Furthermore, the essential m-dissipativity of $$(L_{\Phi },\mathcal {F}C_b^{\infty })$$

(

L
Φ

,
F

C
b
∞

)

and $$(N,\mathcal {F}C_b^{\infty })$$

(
N
,
F

C
b
∞

)

, as well as the regularity estimates are essential to apply the general abstract Hilbert space hypocoercivity method from Dolbeault, Mouhot, Schmeiser and Grothaus, Stilgenbauer, respectively, to the corresponding diffusions.
Preventing railway suicides through level crossing removal: a multiple-arm pre-post study design in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Clapperton Angela , Dwyer Jeremy , Spittal Matthew J. , Roberts Leo , Pirkis Jane
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Rail level crossing removals to improve transport performance across metropolitan Melbourne (state of Victoria) resulted in new rail fencing and grade-separation of tracks from the surrounding environment at several sites. These design changes restricted pedestrian access to the rail tracks, which is a countermeasure known to prevent railway suicide in other settings. We examined whether any such suicide prevention effect followed the removals.

Methods

We used a multiple-arm pre-post design to test whether a decrease in monthly frequency of railway suicides occurred at level crossing removal sites (intervention sites), compared to randomly matched sites where level crossings had not yet been removed (control sites). We used data available in the Victorian Suicide Register covering the period 1st January 2008 to 30th June 2021.

Results

The mean monthly number of railway suicides decreased by 68% within a 500 m radius of intervention sites (RR: 0.32; CI 95% 0.11–0.74) and by 61% within a 1000 m radius of intervention sites (RR: 0.39; CI 95% 0.21–0.68). There was no evidence that the mean monthly number of railway suicides changed at the control sites, either within a 500 m radius (RR: 0.88; CI 95% 0.47–1.56) or a 1000 m radius (RR: 0.82; CI 95% 0.52–1.26).

Conclusion

The reduction in railway suicides at locations where level crossings were removed, demonstrates the suicide prevention benefits that can be derived from a major infrastructure project even if not initially intended. Planning for major infrastructure projects should include consideration of these benefits, with designs incorporating features to maximise suicide prevention impact.
Virulence and antimicrobial-resistance of shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) Isolated from edible shellfish and its public health significance
Authors: Al Qabili Dheyazan M. Ali , Aboueisha Abdel-Karim M. , Ibrahim Ghada A. , Youssef Ahmed I. , El-Mahallawy Heba S.
Published: July 2022

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are an important cause of foodborne illness in humans with infections ranging from mild non-bloody diarrhea to bloody diarrhea (BD) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This study aimed to investigate the distribution of STEC in shellfish from coastal shores of Lake Timsah in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt and its probable hazard to seafood consumers. Samples from the external surface and tissues of shrimp (n = 45), crabs (n = 45), and oysters (n = 45) batches were examined bacteriologically for the presence of STEC and tested for their antibiotic sensitivity. Moreover, occurrence of virulence genes was determined via detection of stx1, stx2 and eaeA genes using PCR. Overall, E. coli and presumptive STEC isolates (from CHROMagar) were identified from the surface (55.6 and 5.9%) and tissues (42.2 and 8.9%) of the examined shellfish batches, respectively. Five STEC isolates had been confirmed and found belonging to O26:H11, O125:H6, O146:H21, and O159 serogroups, those were 4 isolates from tissues of the three shellfish species and one isolate from the crab surface. The STEC isolates were multi-drug resistant, showing complete resistance to; penicillins, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, colistin, fosfomycin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline, however, they were sensitive to gentamycin except O159 serogroup. The current study revealed low level of contamination of shellfish from coastal shores of Lake Timsah with STEC, however, it also highlights the extreme level of antimicrobial resistance exhibited by the presumptive and confirmed STEC isolates which is very hazardous for seafood consumers in the study area.
Confidence-driven communication of process mining on time series
Authors: Koschmider Agnes , Oppelt Natascha , Hundsdörfer Marie
Published: July 2022

The combination of machine learning techniques with process analytics like process mining might even significantly elevate novel insights into time series data collections. To efficiently analyze time series by process mining and to convey confidence into the analysis result, requires bridging challenges. The purpose of this article is to discuss these challenges and to present initial solutions.
Extended seasonal prediction of spring precipitation over the Upper Colorado River Basin
Authors: Zhao Siyu , Fu Rong , Anderson Michael L. , Chakraborty Sudip , Jiang Jonathan H. , Su Hui , Gu Yu
Published: July 2022

This study provides extended seasonal predictions for the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) precipitation in boreal spring using an artificial neural network (ANN) model and a stepwise linear regression model, respectively. Sea surface temperature (SST) predictors are developed taking advantage of the correlation between the precipitation and SST over three ocean basins. The extratropical North Pacific has a higher correlation with the UCRB spring precipitation than the tropical Pacific and North Atlantic. For the ANN model, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the observed and predicted precipitation exceeds 0.45 (p-value < 0.01) for a lead time of 12 months. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is below 20% and the Heidke skill score (HSS) is above 50%. Such long-lead prediction skill is probably due to the UCRB soil moisture bridging the SST and precipitation. The stepwise linear regression model shows similar prediction skills to those of ANN. Both models show prediction skills superior to those of an autoregression model (correlation < 0.10) that represents the baseline prediction skill and those of three of the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) forecast models. The three NMME models exhibit different skills in predicting the precipitation, with the best skills of the correlation ~ 0.40, MAPE < 25%, and HSS > 40% for lead times less than 8 months. This study highlights the advantage of oceanic climate signals in extended seasonal predictions for the UCRB spring precipitation and supports the improvement of the UCRB streamflow prediction and related water resource decisions.
Regression rate of high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions in women younger than 25 years
Authors: Ehret Anne , Bark Victoria Naomi , Mondal Anne , Fehm Tanja Natascha , Hampl Monika
Published: July 2022

Background/purpose

The incidence and clinical course of high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN 2/3) are age dependent. In CIN 3, the recommended treatment is conization, which increases the risk of cervical insufficiency or premature deliveries. But data concerning spontaneous regression of CIN 3 are rare.

Methods

Between 2007 and 2017, we identified 156 women under the age of 25 with CIN 2 (23%) or CIN 3 (77%), who had a consultation and were treated at the Colposcopy Unit, Hospital of Düsseldorf, Germany. This is a retrospective cohort study. These patients had colposcopical follow-ups every 4–6 months. Moreover, we analyzed various parameters to predict regression of cervical lesions in this age group.

Results

Patients diagnosed with CIN 2 showed regression in 88% (n = 30) and women with CIN 3 had a regression rate of 29% (n = 34). Complete regression was observed in 86.7% of CIN 2 and 47.1% of CIN3. Mean time to regression was 21 M (months) [2–70 M]. 70.9% of the patients were treated by surgery (LEEP) after persistence or progression. We identified several predictors for regression of CIN 2/3 in young women: the regression rate of CIN2 is significantly higher than CIN 3 (p < 0.001). Clearance of HPV infections had significantly higher rates of regression compared to persisting HPV infections (p < 0.001). HPV-vaccinated women showed significantly higher regression rates (p = 0.009).

Conclusions

These data show that an expectative close follow-up in women with CIN 3 younger than 25 is possible with regression rates of 29% also for CIN 3. Especially in women who were HPV vaccinated and those who cleared their HPV infection. A frequent colposcopical follow-up every 3–4 months is important for CIN 3 and every 6 months for CIN 2.
Effects of whole body vibration in postmenopausal osteopenic women on bone mineral density, muscle strength, postural control and quality of life: the T-bone randomized trial
Authors: Kienberger Yvonne , Sassmann Robert , Rieder Florian , Johansson Tim , Kässmann Helmut , Pirich Christian , Wicker Anton , Niebauer Josef
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Osteopenia is common in postmenopausal women and effective interventions increasing or stabilizing bone mineral density (BMD) to prevent fractures are urgently needed.

Methods

Sixty-five postmenopausal women diagnosed with osteopenia (T-score between -1.0 and -2.5) were randomly assigned to either a vibration training group (VT), a resistance training group (RT), or a control group (CG). BMD T-score values (primary endpoint) were assessed at baseline (T0) and after 12 months (T12), secondary endpoints (muscle strength, postural control, and health-related quality of life) at baseline (T0), after 6 months (T6), after 12 months (T12), and as follow-up after 15 months (T15).

Results

After the intervention period, neither the VT nor the RT showed any significant changes in BMD T-score values compared to the CG. Isokinetic strength improved significantly within all training groups, with the exception of the flexors of VT at an angular velocity of 240°/s. Health-related quality of life as well as postural control improved significantly for the RT only.

Conclusions

We conclude that participants of all three groups were able to maintain their BMD. The improvements in quality of life and postural control after resistance training are nevertheless meaningful for postmenopausal osteopenic women and support the importance of regular loadings of the musculoskeletal system.

This study was retrospectively registered in January 2022 at the DRKS (S00027816) as clinical trial.
Body composition dynamics and impact on clinical outcome in gastric and gastro-esophageal junction cancer patients undergoing perioperative chemotherapy with the FLOT protocol
Authors: Huemer Florian , Hecht Stefan , Scharinger Bernhard , Schlintl Verena , Rinnerthaler Gabriel , Schlick Konstantin , Heregger Ronald , Melchardt Thomas , Wimmer Angela , Mühlbacher Iris , Koch Oliver Owen , Neureiter Daniel , Klieser Eckhard , Seyedinia Sara , Beheshti Mohsen , Greil Richard , Weiss Lukas
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Perioperative chemotherapy with FLOT constitutes a standard of care approach for locally advanced, resectable gastric or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. We aimed at investigating anthropometric, CT-based and FDG-PET-based body composition parameters and dynamics during this multidisciplinary approach and the impact on clinical outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective, single-center study was based on medical records and (FDG-PET)-CT images among gastric/GEJ cancer patients undergoing perioperative FLOT chemotherapy.

Results

Between 2016 and 2021, 46 gastric/GEJ cancer patients started perioperative FLOT at our tertiary cancer center (Salzburg, Austria). At a median follow-up of 32 months median PFS was 47.4 months and median OS was not reached. The skeletal muscle index (SMI, cm2/m2) turned out to be the only body composition parameter with a statistically significant decrease during pre-operative FLOT (51.3 versus 48.8 cm2/m2, p = 0.02). Neither pre-FLOT body mass index (BMI), nor SMI had an impact on the duration of pre-operative FLOT, the time interval from pre-operative FLOT initiation to surgery, the necessity of pre-operative or post-operative FLOT de-escalation or the likelihood of the start of postoperative chemotherapy. Pre-FLOT BMI (overweight versus normal, HR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02–0.65, p = 0.02) and pre-FLOT SMI (sarcopenia versus no sarcopenia, HR: 5.08, 95% CI: 1.27–20.31, p = 0.02) were statistically significantly associated with PFS in the multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

The statistically significant SMI loss during pre-operative FLOT and the meaningful impact of baseline SMI and BMI on PFS argue for the implementation of a nutritional screening and support program prior to the initiation of pre-operative FLOT in clinical routine.
Optimisation of the fermentation media to enhance the production of the bioactive isomer of vitamin menaquinone-7
Authors: Lal Neha , Seifan Mostafa , Berenjian Aydin
Published: July 2022

Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) offers significant health benefits; however, only the all-trans form is biologically active. MK-7 produced through fermentation can occur as all-trans and cis isomers, and the therapeutic value of the resulting MK-7 is exclusively determined by the quantity of the all-trans isomer. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of the media composition on the isomer profile obtained from fermentation and determine the optimum media combination to increase the concentration of the all-trans isomer and diminish the production of cis MK-7. For this purpose, design of experiments (DOE) was used to screen the most effective nutrients, and a central composite face-centred design (CCF) was employed to optimise the media components. The optimum media consisted of 1% (w/v) glucose, 2% (w/v) yeast extract, 2% (w/v) soy peptone, 2% (w/v) tryptone, and 0.1% (w/v) CaCl2. This composition resulted in an average all-trans and cis isomer concentration of 36.366 mg/L and 1.225 mg/L, respectively. In addition, the optimised media enabled an all-trans isomer concentration 12.2-fold greater and a cis isomer concentration 2.9-fold less than the unoptimised media. This study was the first to consider the development of an optimised fermentation media to enhance the production of the bioactive isomer of MK-7 and minimise the concentration of the inactive isomer. Furthermore, this media is commercially promising, as it will improve the process productivity and reduce the costs associated with the industrial fermentation of the vitamin.
Digital divide, craft firms’ websites and urban-rural disparities—empirical evidence from a web-scraping approach
Authors: Thonipara Anita , Sternberg Rolf , Proeger Till , Haefner Lukas
Published: July 2022

Following the “death of distance” postulate, digitalization may reduce or even eliminate the penalty of firms being located in rural areas compared with those in urban agglomerations. Despite many recent attempts to measure digitalization effects across space, there remains a lack of empirical evidence regarding the adoption of digital technologies from an explicit spatial perspective. Using web-scraping data for a sample of 345,000 small firms in Germany, we analyze the determinants of website prevalence. Comparing urban with rural areas, we show that running a website—as a proxy for the degree of digitalization of the respective firm—is highly dependent on location, whereby firms in urban areas are almost twice as likely to run websites compared with those located in rural areas. Our county-level analysis shows that a high population density, a young population and a high educational level have a positive and significant association with the probability that firms run websites. Surprisingly, we find a negative and significant association of gross domestic product per capita with website prevalence, which is driven by urban regions. There are no differences between urban, semi-urban and rural areas in terms of website up-to-dateness as well as social media prevalence. We conclude that there is a substantial digital divide and discuss policy implications.
Radiofrequency ablation reduces expression of SELF by upregulating the expression of microRNA-26a/b in the treatment of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Dai Min , Jiang Tao , Luo Cai-dong , Du Wei , Wang Min , Qiu Qing-yan , Wang Hu
Published: July 2022

Background

In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-26a and miR-26b in the management of AF.

Methods

Real-time PCR was carried out to determine plasma microRNA expression in AF patients pre- and post-radiofrequency ablation. The correlation between the expression of SELP and miR-26a/miR-26b was also studied using luciferase assays to establish a miR-26a/miR-26b/SELP signaling pathway.

Results

The relative expression of SELP reached its peak in pre-ablation AF ( +) patients, while ablation treatment reduced the expression of SELP in AF ( +) patients. Similarly, AF pigs showed dysregulation of miR-26a/b and SELP, thus verifying the involvement of miR-26a/b and SELP in AF. Meanwhile, the regulatory association between SELP and miR-26a/b was also investigated, and the results showed that the presence of pre-miR-26a/b increased the levels of miR-26a/b and inhibited the mRNA/protein expression of SELP. Finally, using bioinformatic tools and luciferase assays, SELP mRNA was confirmed as the target of miR-26a/b, which affected the effect of AF ablation treatment.

Conclusions

RFA helped to restore circulating levels of miR-26, which were reduced in atrial fibrillation. Meanwhile, miR-26 is a potential cause for the elevated plasma levels of pro-thrombogenic SELP in that disease.
Late Holocene paleoenvironmental changes inferred from multi-proxy studies of the Kholasht-Kouh Lake sediments in the Gilan mountains, northern Iran
Authors: Homami Totmaj Leila , Alizadeh Kammaledin , Behling Hermann
Published: July 2022

Past vegetation and environmental changes and the role of climate as well as human activities are of major interest. The Hyrcanian region with a high number of endemic species has a poorly known paleoenvironmental history, especially the western region of northern Iran. This study aims to investigate a radiocarbon-dated sediment core of the Kholasht-Kouh Lake (KHL) for the recorded between ca. 510 and 1180 cal yr BP. KHL is located at 2000 m elevation and surrounded with steppe vegetation above the present-day forest line. Multi-proxy analyses including pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, charcoal, loss on ignition, and X-ray fluorescence were applied to reconstruct past environmental dynamics. The results indicate the dominance of herbaceous vegetation (mainly Poaceae, Artemisia, and Amaranthaceae) around the lake during the whole record, except for the period between 1010 and 740 cal yr BP. During this period of the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (1000–700 cal yr BP) mixed forest increased, consisting mainly of Quercus, Fagus, Carpinus, and Juniperus. The K, Ti and Si elements (as indicators for increased in detrital inputs) suggest relatively humid condition between 1180 and 1010 cal yr BP. Furthermore, higher lake levels may indicate from low values of the Mn/Ti, Ca/Ti and Sr/Ti ratios. After 1010 until 740 cal yr BP the highest value of the Si/Fe ratio, suggested warmest period of the record. While the lowest value of the Si/Fe ratio, in line with the reduction of other elements and ratios, between 740 till 510 cal yr BP represented cold and dry period. Humans were present around the study area at least since beginning of the record, but did not played an important role impacting the vegetation.
Mashing load balancing algorithm to boost hybrid kernels in molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Nozal Raúl , Bosque Jose Luis
Published: July 2022

The path to the efficient exploitation of molecular dynamics simulators is strongly driven by the increasingly intensive use of accelerators. However, they suffer performance portability issues, making it necessary both to achieve technological combinations that allow taking advantage of each programming model and device, and to define more effective load distribution strategies that consider the simulation conditions. In this work, a new load balancing algorithm is presented, together with a set of optimizations to support hybrid co-execution in a runtime system for heterogeneous computing. The new extended design enables the exploitation of custom kernels and acceleration technologies altogether, being encapsulated for the rest of the runtime and its scheduling system. With this support, Mash algorithm allows to simultaneously leverage different workload distribution strategies, benefiting from the most advantageous one per device and technology. Experiments show that these proposals achieve an efficiency close to 0.90 and an energy efficiency improvement around 1.80 over the original optimized version.
Design Principles for High QE HgCdTe Infrared Photodetectors for eSWIR Applications
Authors: Akhavan N. D. , Umana-Membreno G. A. , Gu R. , Antoszewski J. , Faraone L.
Published: July 2022

In this paper, we study the limiting mechanisms and design criteria of HgCdTe photodetectors for extended shortwave infrared applications with ultra-high quantum efficiency (QE) in bothn-on-pandp-on-ntechnologies. Numerical and analytical models are employed in order to study the possibility of achieving ultra-high QE eSWIR detectors for the operational wavelengths of approximately 2.0 μm, and our study shows that by proper design of absorber layer and doping density, such a detector can be engineered. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) lifetime, absorber layer doping density and absorber layer thickness all have an impact on the quantum efficiency whether the detector is used as a small-area pixel element in a focal plane array or as a discrete large-area detector for sensing applications.
Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection in children with acute respiratory tract infections in Guangzhou, China, 2010–2021: a molecular epidemiology study
Authors: Chen Yi , Lin Tao , Wang Chang-Bing , Liang Wan-Li , Lian Guang-Wan , Zanin Mark , Wong Sook-San , Tian Xin-Gui , Zhong Jia-Yu , Zhang Ying-Ying , Xie Jia-Hui , Zheng Ling-Ling , Chen Fei-Yan , Dang Run , Zhao Ming-Qi , Yang Yi-Yu , Zhou Rong , Zhu Bing
Published: July 2022

Background

Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection can cause a variety of diseases. It is a major pathogen of pediatric acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) and can be life-threatening in younger children. We described the epidemiology and subtypes shifting of HAdV among children with ARI in Guangzhou, China.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of 161,079 children diagnosed with acute respiratory illness at the Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center between 2010 and 2021. HAdV specimens were detected by real-time PCR and the hexon gene was used for phylogenetic analysis.

Results

Before the COVID-19 outbreak in Guangzhou, the annual frequency of adenovirus infection detected during this period ranged from 3.92% to 13.58%, with an epidemic peak every four to five years. HAdV demonstrated a clear seasonal distribution, with the lowest positivity in March and peaking during summer (July or August) every year. A significant increase in HAdV cases was recorded for 2018 and 2019, which coincided with a shift in the dominant HAdV subtype from HAdV-3 to HAdV-7. The latter was associated with a more severe disease compared to HAdV-3. The average mortality proportion for children infected with HAdV from 2016 to 2019 was 0.38% but increased to 20% in severe cases. After COVID-19 emerged, HAdV cases dropped to 2.68%, suggesting that non-pharmaceutical interventions probably reduced the transmission of HAdV in the community.

Conclusion

Our study provides the foundation for the understanding of the epidemiology of HAdV and its associated risks in children in Southern China.
A Hybrid Account of Concepts Within the Predictive Processing Paradigm
Authors: Michel Christian
Published: July 2022

We seem to learn and use concepts in a variety of heterogenous “formats”, including exemplars, prototypes, and theories. Different strategies have been proposed to account for this diversity. Hybridists consider instances in different formats to be instances of a single concept. Pluralists think that each instance in a different format is a different concept. Eliminativists deny that the different instances in different formats pertain to a scientifically fruitful kind and recommend eliminating the notion of a “concept” entirely. In recent years, hybridism has received the most attention and support. However, we are still lacking a cognitive-computational model for concept representation and processing that would underpin hybridism. The aim of this paper is to advance the understanding of concepts by grounding hybridism in a neuroscientific model within the Predictive Processing framework. In the suggested view, the different formats are not distinct parts of a concept but arise from different ways of processing a functionally unified representational structure.
„Digitalisierung mit der Brechstange“?
Authors: Janschitz Gerlinde , Zehetner Elisabeth , Fernandez Karina
Published: July 2022

Die Covid-19 Pandemie traf im Frühjahr 2020 auf die österreichische Schullandschaft und stellte Österreichs Schulen vor eine Ausnahmesituation. Die darauffolgenden Phasen des Distance Learning trieben auch Digitalisierungsprozesse im schulischen Bereich voran. In diesem Kontext kommt sowohl der technischen Ausstattung als auch den digitalen Kompetenzen der Schüler*innen große Relevanz zu – und dies birgt die Gefahr, dass sich durch einen Digital Divide bereits bestehende Ungleichheiten im Bildungssektor zuspitzen. Der vorliegende Beitrag beleuchtet daher mittels Daten aus einer Interviewstudie mit Lehrkräften, Schulleiter*innen, Mitarbeiter*innen psychosozialer Unterstützungssysteme und Schüler*innen Digitalisierungsprozesse im schulischen Bereich während der Pandemie. Diese Prozesse werden vor dem Hintergrund der Diskussion um digitale Ungleichheiten im Schulkontext diskutiert. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Studie zeigen, dass es durch den Covid-bedingten Fernunterricht zu einem deutlichen Ausbau und einer gewissen Konsolidierung digitaler Formen des Lehrens und Lernens kam. Dennoch bleiben Probleme bestehen, die mit strukturellen Ungleichheiten verbunden sind. Zu Aufholprozessen für sozial benachteiligte Schüler*innen kam es nicht. Vielmehr schreiben sich jene Faktoren, die bereits vor der Pandemie für die tiefgreifenden Ungleichheiten im österreichischen Bildungssystem ausschlaggebend waren – wie sozioökonomischer Status, Bildungsstand der Eltern und kulturelles Kapital – auch im Distance Learning und im Arbeiten mit digitalen Medien weiter fort.
Reversible Oxygen-Rich Functional Groups Grafted 3D Honeycomb-Like Carbon Anode for Super-Long Potassium Ion Batteries
Authors: Cheng Na , Zhou Wang , Liu Jilei , Liu Zhigang , Lu Bingan
Published: July 2022

Studies have found that oxygen-rich-containing functional groups in carbon-based materials can be used as active sites for the storage performance of K+, but the basic storage mechanism is still unclear. Herein, we construct and optimize 3D honeycomb-like carbon grafted with plentiful COOH/C = O functional groups (OFGC) as anodes for potassium ion batteries. The OFGC electrode with steady structure and rich functional groups can effectively contribute to the capacity enhancement and the formation of stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film, achieving a high reversible capacity of 230 mAh g−1 at 3000 mA g−1 after 10,000 cycles (almost no capacity decay) and an ultra-long cycle time over 18 months at 100 mA g−1. The study results revealed the reversible storage mechanism between K+ and COOH/C = O functional groups by forming C-O-K compounds. Meanwhile, the in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy proved the highly reversible and rapid de/intercalation kinetics of K+ in the OFGC electrode, and the growth process of SEI films. In particular, the full cells assembled by Prussian blue cathode exhibit a high energy density of 113 Wh kg−1 after 800 cycles (calculated by the total mass of anode and cathode), and get the light-emitting diodes lamp and ear thermometer running.