bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Covalent organic frameworks for applications in lithium batteries
Authors: Yang Liting , Huang Ning
Published: May 2022

With the stone energy increasingly dried up and the environment polluted severely, developing renewable clean energy is already in extreme urgency. Exploiting new energy storage and transformation systems has progressively become the focal point in the energy research field. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted extensive attention as a new kind of crosslinked polymers owing to the high crystallinity, excellent porosity, and favorable stability. The last decade has witnessed the great progress in crystalline COFs for the application in various arenas. The tailor‐made functional skeleton together with well‐defined periodical alignment has endowed COFs with enormous potential in lithium batteries. In this review, we initially illustrated the design principle of COFs for the application in lithium batteries. Furthermore, we made a comprehensive summary of the fast‐developing COFs field in terms of lithium batteries, including lithium ion and lithium sulfur batteries. Finally, we discussed the remaining challenges and perspectives in this area and also proposed several possible future directions of development for lithium batteries. It is expected that this short review would contribute to the development of COFs materials in energy‐related applications.
How long do seeds float? The potential role of hydrochory in passive revegetation management
Authors: Fryirs Kirstie , Carthey Alexandra
Published: May 2022

Despite research into the dynamics of seed transport in fluvial systems, few consider how far seeds will travel, and how far from local or upstream seed sources passive regeneration can occur. We experimentally test the seed floating time of 60 plant species (50 native and 10 exotic) commonly found in riparian corridors of southeastern Australia. Around 50% of species had seeds that floated for 2 days or less, and for most species' (90%) all seeds had sunk within one week. Seeds of native species tended to sink more quickly than exotic, with 64% of native species' seeds floating for less than 2 days. In contrast, most exotic species (80%) floated for longer than 2 days, and 40% had seeds still floating after one week. This suggests that exotic species are good floaters and likely to travel long distances, making them excellent hydrochores. Finally, we applied the findings to a real case study, Wollombi Brook, NSW, Australia. We combined the findings from the seed floating experiment with low flow hydrology calculations to map the potential travel distance of seeds from known extant vegetation sources. We show that maximum seed travel distance per day could be up to 21 km. Thus, species that float for a week could potentially travel almost 150 km downstream before sinking or being deposited. We discuss how local versus upstream seed sources, and hydrochory, could be utilised in passive revegetation and weed management of riparian corridors.
Structurally ordered high‐entropy intermetallic nanoparticles with enhanced C–C bond cleavage for ethanol oxidation
Authors: Wang Dongdong , Chen Zhiwen , Wu Yujie , Huang Yu‐Cheng , Tao Li , Chen Jun , Dong Chung‐Li , Singh Chandra Veer , Wang Shuangyin
Published: May 2022

Efficient ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is challenging due to the multiple reaction steps required to accomplish full oxidation to CO2 in fuel cells. High‐entropy materials with the adjustable composition and unique chemical structure provide a large configurational space for designing high‐performance electrocatalysts. Herein, a new class of structurally ordered PtRhFeNiCu high‐entropy intermetallics (HEIs) is developed as electrocatalyst, which exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and CO tolerance for EOR compared to high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) comprising of same elements. When the HEIs are used as anode catalysts to be assembled into a high‐temperature polybenzimidazole‐based direct ethanol fuel cell, the HEIs achieve a high power density of 47.50 mW/cm2, which is 2.97 times of Pt/C (16.0 mW/cm2). Online gas chromatography measurements show that the developed HEIs have a stronger C–C bond‐breaking ability than corresponding HEAs and Pt/C catalysts, which is further verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, DFT results indicate that HEIs possess higher stability and electrochemical activity for EOR than HEAs. These results demonstrate that the HEIs could provide a new platform to develop high‐performance electrocatalysts for broader applications.
The Effect of Microstructure Inhomogeneity on Fatigue Property of EA4T Axle Steel
Authors: Liu Shuo , Wang Bin , Zhang Peng , Bai Xin , Duan Qiqiang , Wang Xuegang , Zhang Zhefeng
Published: May 2022

Axles are the key component of high‐speed rail trains, which are required to have a good service performance. In the current study, the microstructures, basic mechanical properties, and fatigue property of EA4T axle steel are investigated. Due to the temperature gradient during heat treatment, the industrial EA4T axles present differences in microstructures, basic mechanical properties, and fatigue property along the radial direction. It is found that the difference in fatigue properties for the outer and middle layers results from the microstructures inhomogeneity variations, and the difference in fatigue properties can be evaluated more accurately by the statistical results of microhardness. The effect of the microhardness evaluation method is that the fatigue characteristic ratios for the two layers calculated by microhardness are more similar than fatigue ratios calculated by tensile strength.
Renewable energy consumption and its environmental impacts: A meta‐regression analysis
Authors: Tampubolon Frances Roi Seston , Yuwono Arief Sabdo , Tambunan Armansyah Halomoan , Achsani Noer Azam
Published: May 2022

This study involves a meta‐analytical review of several articles, using the closest assumptions for the independent variable (renewable energy consumption), to determine the relationship with its environmental impacts. Furthermore, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in 2015 pays attention to related problems in both developing and developed countries. The effects of carbon emissions, natural resources, renewable energy consumption, and non‐renewable energy on the environment are also reviewed. Following the separation of studies, the closest assumption was observed for the independent variable (energy source applications) of renewable energy. The meta‐analysis was obtained using OpenMEE and JASP, and the results show the observed outcome, which was expressed in percentage. Based on the analysis, the Renewable Energy model has a value of 0.15, with the largest forest plots of 0.73, 0.69, and 0.80, recorded for studies 13, 19, and 23, respectively, while the least forest plots were recorded for studies 6, 11, 12, 15, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, and 28. Therefore, renewable energy consumption, specifically in the mining industry, has the capacity to influence global warming. The respective industry has a unique influence on the processes that require renewable energy, for instance, the coal mining industry produces a smaller forest plot value, compared to oil and gas, or other mineral industries.
Analysis of Complex Circadian Time Series Data Using Wavelets
Authors: Schmal Christoph , Mönke Gregor , Granada Adrián E.
Published: May 2022

Experiments that compare rhythmic properties across different genetic alterations and entrainment conditions underlie some of the most important breakthroughs in circadian biology. A robust estimation of the rhythmic properties of the circadian signals goes hand in hand with these discoveries. Widely applied traditional signal analysis methods such as fitting cosine functions or Fourier transformations rely on the assumption that oscillation periods do not change over time. However, novel high-resolution recording techniques have shown that, most commonly, circadian signals exhibit time-dependent changes of periods and amplitudes which cannot be captured with the traditional approaches. In this chapter we introduce a method to determine time-dependent properties of oscillatory signals, using the novel open-source Python-based Biological Oscillations Analysis Toolkit (pyBOAT). We show with examples how to detect rhythms, compute and interpret high-resolution time-dependent spectral results, analyze the main oscillatory component, and to subsequently determine these main components’ time-dependent instantaneous period, amplitude, and phase. We introduce step-by-step how such an analysis can be done by means of the easy-to-use point-and-click graphical user interface (GUI) provided by pyBOAT or executed within a Python programming environment. Concepts are explained using simulated signals as well as experimentally obtained time series.
Classical codes and chiral CFTs at higher genus
Authors: Henriksson Johan , Kakkar Ashish , McPeak Brian
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Higher genus modular invariance of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) is a largely unexplored area. In this paper, we derive explicit expressions for the higher genus partition functions of a specific class of CFTs: code CFTs, which are constructed using classical error-correcting codes. In this setting, the Sp(2g, ℤ) modular transformations of genus g Riemann surfaces can be recast as a simple set of linear maps acting on 2g polynomial variables, which comprise an object called the code enumerator polynomial. The CFT partition function is directly related to the enumerator polynomial, meaning that solutions of the linear constraints from modular invariance immediately give a set of seemingly consistent partition functions at a given genus. We then find that higher genus constraints, plus consistency under degeneration limits of the Riemann surface, greatly reduces the number of possible code CFTs. This work provides a step towards a full understanding of the constraints from higher genus modular invariance on 2d CFTs.
Temperature assessment study of ex vivo holmium laser enucleation of the prostate model
Authors: Yilmaz Mehmet , Heuring Cäcilia Elisabeth Maria , Dressler Franz Friedrich , Suarez-Ibarrola Rodrigo , Gratzke Christian , Miernik Arkadiusz , Hein Simon
Published: May 2022

Purpose

There isscarce evidence to date on how temperature develops during holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). We aimed to determine the potential heat generation during HoLEP under ex vivo conditions.

Methods

We developed two experimental setups. Firstly, we simulated HoLEP ex vivo using narrow-neck laboratory bottles mimicking enucleation cavities and a prostate resection trainer. Seven temperature probes were placed at different locations in the experimental setup, and the heat generation was measured separately during laser application. Secondly, we simulated high-frequency current-based coagulation of the vessels using a roller probe.

Results

We observed that the larger the enucleated cavity, the higher the temperature rises, regardless of the irrigation flow rate. The highest temperature difference with an irrigation flow was approximately + 4.5 K for a cavity measuring 100ccm and a 300 ml/min irrigation flow rate. The higher flow rate generates faster removal of the generated heat, thus cooling down the artificial cavity. Furthermore, the temperature differences at different irrigation flow rates (except at 0 ml/min) were consistently below 5 K. Within the resection trainer, the temperature increase with and without irrigation flow was approximately 0.5 K and 3.0 K, respectively. The mean depth of necrosis (1084 ± 176 µm) achieved by the roller probe was significantly greater when using 144 W energy.

Conclusion

Carefully adjusted irrigation and monitoring during HoLEP are crucial when evacuating the thermal energy generated during the procedure. We believe this study of ours provides evidence with the potential to facilitate clinical studies on patient safety.
The average-of-awards rule for claims problems
Authors: Mirás Calvo Miguel Ángel , Quinteiro Sandomingo Carmen , Sánchez-Rodríguez Estela
Published: May 2022

Given a claims problem, the average-of-awards rule ($${\text {AA}}$$AA) selects the expected value of the uniform distribution over the set of awards vectors. The$${\text {AA}}$$AArule is the center of gravity of the core of the coalitional game associated with a claims problem, so it corresponds to the core-center. We show that this rule satisfies a good number of properties so as to be included in the inventory of division rules. We also provide several representations of the$${\text {AA}}$$AArule and a procedure to compute it in terms of the parameters that define the problem.
Variation on a technique for the intra-muscular insertion of nerve endings to minimise neuropathic and residual pain in lower limb amputees: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lu Victor , Zhou Andrew , Krkovic Matija
Published: May 2022

Introduction

A major cause of morbidity in lower limb amputees is phantom limb pain (PLP) and residual limb pain (RLP). This study aimed to determine whether a variation of the surgical technique of inserting nerve endings into adjacent muscle bellies at the time of lower limb amputation can decrease the incidence and severity of PLP and RLP.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from January 2015 to January 2021, including eight patients that underwent nerve insertion (NI) and 36 that received standard treatment. Primary outcomes included the 11-point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain severity, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain intensity, behaviour, and interference. Secondary outcome included Neuro-QoL Lower Extremity Function assessing mobility. Cumulative scores were transformed to standardised t scores.

Results

Across all primary and secondary outcomes, NI patients had lower PLP and RLP. Mean ‘worst pain’ score was 3.5 out of 10 for PLP in the NI cohort, compared to 4.89 in the control cohort (p = 0.298), and 2.6 out of 10 for RLP in the NI cohort, compared to 4.44 in the control cohort (p = 0.035). Mean ‘best pain’ and ‘current pain’ scores were also superior in the NI cohort for PLP (p = 0.003, p = 0.022), and RLP (p = 0.018, p = 0.134).

Mean PROMIS t scores were lower for the NI cohort for RLP (40.1 vs 49.4 for pain intensity; p = 0.014, 44.4 vs 48.2 for pain interference; p = 0.085, 42.5 vs 49.9 for pain behaviour; p = 0.025). Mean PROMIS t scores were also lower for the NI cohort for PLP (42.5 vs 52.7 for pain intensity; p = 0.018); 45.0 vs 51.5 for pain interference; p = 0.015, 46.3 vs 51.1 for pain behaviour; p = 0.569). Mean Neuro-QoL t score was lower in NI cohort (45.4 vs 41.9; p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Surgical insertion of nerve endings into adjacent muscle bellies during lower limb amputation is a simple yet effective way of minimising PLP and RLP, improving patients’ subsequent quality of life. Additional comparisons with targeted muscle reinnervation should be performed to determine the optimal treatment option.
SAPV-Patienten in der COVID-19-Krise
Authors: Kaiser Ulrich , Vehling-Kaiser Ursula , Kalteis Martin , Hoffmann Ana , Schmidt Jörg , Kaiser Florian
Published: May 2022

Hintergrund

COVID-19 betrifft im ambulanten Bereich vor allem auch Palliativpatienten, die im Rahmen der spezialisierten ambulanten Palliativversorgung (SAPV) versorgt werden. Zur Vermeidung von Infektionen wurde die Implementierung von neuen Sicherheitsvorkehrungen und telemedizinischen Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten in die an der Studie beteiligten SAPV erforderlich.

Ziel der Arbeit

Die Studie untersucht die Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die persönlichen und sozialen Probleme von Palliativpatienten und ihre Erfahrungen mit der betreuenden SAPV.

Material und Methoden

20 SAPV-Patienten wurden in halbstrukturierten Telefoninterviews zu ihren Problemen im Zusammenhang mit der Pandemie und Erfahrungen mit der SAPV-Betreuung befragt.

Ergebnisse

Angst vor Einsamkeit und Infektion belasten Palliativpatienten sehr. Die meisten Patienten wollten Krankenhausaufenthalte wegen erhöhter Infektionsgefahr vermeiden. Schutzmaßnahmen der SAPV gaben ihnen ein Gefühl der Sicherheit und wurden trotz Einschränkung des persönlichen Kontakts akzeptiert. Moderne Kommunikationsformen waren nützlich, konnten aber den persönlichen Kontakt nicht ersetzen.

Diskussion

Die Pandemie führte zu Veränderungen in der SAPV und hatte Auswirkungen auf das soziale Umfeld von Palliativpatienten. Schutzmaßnahmen sind für das Sicherheitsgefühl der betreuten Palliativpatienten wichtig. Die Versorgungsqualität der an COVID-19 angepassten SAPV-Struktur wird von den Patienten meist nicht als verschlechtert wahrgenommen. Ängste vor sozialer Isolation nehmen bei den Palliativpatienten einen hohen Stellenwert ein und können durch die SAPV abgebaut werden. Der persönliche Kontakt zur SAPV kann durch moderne Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten nicht ersetzt werden, wobei die Patienten Telemedizin im Sinne einer „Notlösung“ durchaus akzeptieren.
Season does not influence the response of great tits (Parus major) to allopatric mobbing calls
Authors: Dutour Mylène
Published: May 2022

Many species of birds emit mobbing calls to recruit prey to join mobbing events. This anti-predator strategy often involves several species and, therefore, implies heterospecific communication. Some species of tit exhibit a sensitivity to allopatric mobbing calls, suggesting that heterospecific recognition is based on an innate component. To date, however, we have no information on whether the perception of allopatric calls varies with season, despite seasonality playing an important role in the perception of heterospecific call in some species. In this study, I investigate the responses of European great tits (Parus major) to the calls of a North American bird species, the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), during two seasons: spring and in autumn (breeding and non-breeding seasons, respectively). Great tits approached the sound source during both seasons, with no significant difference in response between seasons. These findings indicate that season does not influence the response of birds to allopatric calls, and will help to shed light on the evolution of interspecific communication.
Heterogeneity in general multinomial choice models
Authors: Mauerer Ingrid , Tutz Gerhard
Published: May 2022

Different voters behave differently at the polls, different students make different university choices, or different countries choose different health care systems. Many research questions important to social scientists concern choice behavior, which involves dealing with nominal dependent variables. Drawing on the principle of maximum random utility, we propose applying a flexible and general heterogeneous multinomial logit model to study differences in choice behavior. The model systematically accounts for heterogeneity that classical models do not capture, indicates the strength of heterogeneity, and permits examining which explanatory variables cause heterogeneity. As the proposed approach allows incorporating theoretical expectations about heterogeneity into the analysis of nominal dependent variables, it can be applied to a wide range of research problems. Our empirical example uses individual-level survey data to demonstrate the benefits of the model in studying heterogeneity in electoral decisions.
The association between dental caries and physical activity, physical fitness, and background factors among Finnish male conscripts
Authors: Huttunen Mika , Kämppi Antti , Soudunsaari Aapo , Päkkilä Jari , Tjäderhane Leo , Laitala Marja-Liisa , Anttonen Vuokko , Patinen Pertti , Tanner Tarja
Published: May 2022

Studies on measured physical fitness and oral health are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between self-reported physical activity and measured physical fitness and oral health of young men. The study population consisted of 13,564 Finnish male conscripts who had mandatory clinical oral examinations and physical fitness tests at the beginning of military service in 2011. Finally, around 10,800 conscripts had physical fitness test outcomes available and a total of 8552 conscripts answered a computer-based questionnaire on background factors. Decayed Tooth (DT) and Decayed, Missing, or Filled Tooth (DMFT) indices, outcomes of surveys and fitness tests were used in analyses by cross-tabulation and multivariable logistic regression model (odds ratios [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) were calculated. Regularly exercising conscripts had a reduced need for dental restorative treatment than those reporting no physical activity (p < 0.0001). The proportion of participants with sound dentition (DT = 0) increased steadily with increasing physical activity (39.0–59.4%). Good measured physical fitness was a protective factor against increased dental restorative treatment need. A low prevalence of smoking and low use of alcohol and energy drinks were associated with frequent exercise, whereas consumption of sport drinks and snuff use were common among those who exercised frequently. Good measured physical fitness and self-reported physical activity are associated with reduced caries burden. There is a need for information about the harms of tobacco products and the benefits of a healthy diet, even for the increased energy needs of the physically active.
Utilization of nonlinear vibrations of soft pipe conveying fluid for driving underwater bio-inspired robot
Authors: Dai Huliang , He Yixiang , Zhou Kun , Peng Zerui , Wang Lin , Hagedorn P.
Published: May 2022

Creatures with longer bodies in nature like snakes and eels moving in water commonly generate a large swaying of their bodies or tails, with the purpose of producing significant frictions and collisions between body and fluid to provide the power of consecutive forward force. This swaying can be idealized by considering oscillations of a soft beam immersed in water when waves of vibration travel down at a constant speed. The present study employs a kind of large deformations induced by nonlinear vibrations of a soft pipe conveying fluid to design an underwater bio-inspired snake robot that consists of a rigid head and a soft tail. When the head is fixed, experiments show that a second mode vibration of the tail in water occurs as the internal flow velocity is beyond a critical value. Then the corresponding theoretical model based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) is established to describe nonlinear vibrations of the tail. As the head is free, the theoretical modeling is combined with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to construct a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation model. The swimming speed and swaying shape of the snake robot are obtained through the FSI simulation model. They are in good agreement with experimental results. Most importantly, it is demonstrated that the propulsion speed can be improved by 21% for the robot with vibrations of the tail compared with that without oscillations in the pure jet mode. This research provides a new thought to design driving devices by using nonlinear flow-induced vibrations.
Being Called “Elderly” Impacts Adult Development: A Critical Analysis of Enduring Ageism During COVID in NZ Online News Media
Authors: Amundsen Diana
Published: May 2022

This article examines how “the elderly” is constructed in New Zealand online news media. By employing a critical framing analysis to challenge ageist practices, conceptually, the study adds to our knowledge of research methodologies in the field of adult development. Online news media articles were collected and analyzed to understand constructions of older adults as “elderly” over an 18-month period before, during, and since the COVID pandemic. Results demonstrated that the term “elderly” was framed powerlessly, in predominantly negative (74%) stereotypical messages about older adults. Positive stereotypes (26% of data) used human impact framing. Associations of “elderly” with being vulnerable, declining, and an individual or societal burden have serious implications, notably for the media in their role of both constructing and reflecting societal attitudes and actions towards older adults. Suggestions are offered to encourage reframing societal attitudes and promoting healthy adult development through age-equality messages that do away with the term “elderly.”
Associations between abdominal adiposity, body size and objectively measured physical activity in infants from Soweto, South Africa
Authors: Prioreschi Alessandra , Ong Ken K , Rolfe Emanuella De Lucia , Westgate Kate , Micklesfield Lisa K , Brage Soren
Published: May 2022

Objectives:

Considering the importance of the early life period, in conjunction with the increasing prevalence of adiposity and insufficient physical activity already evident in early childhood, this study aimed to determine associations between abdominal adiposity, body size, and objectively measured physical activity in infancy.

Methods:

Infants (n = 138, aged 3–24 months) from Soweto, South Africa were recruited to this cross-sectional study. Visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous abdominal fat (SAT) were measured using ultrasound. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometry and analysed at the hourly level. Multilevel linear regression analyses were run with body composition exposures adjusted for age, sex, and length; models with VAT and SAT were also adjusted for total abdominal fat.

Results:

Mean (SD) age was 11.8 (7.6) months; 86% were normal weight, 7% were underweight and 7% overweight. In linear models, no body composition variable was significantly associated with physical activity. Physical activity was higher with each increasing length tertile (ANOVA p < 0.01); with a mean(95%CI) 29(60–60)mg in the lowest tertile, 39(71–71)mg in the middle tertile, and 50(81–82)mg in the highest tertile. Infants with normal weight had higher mean(95%CI) physical activity (40(70–80)mg) than underweight (34(73–85)mg, p = 0.01) or overweight infants (31(63–78)mg, ANOVA p < 0.01). When also adjusting for total abdominal fat, infants in the lowest SAT tertile had higher physical activity than those in the middle or highest SAT tertiles (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

These findings lend support for higher physical activity as a marker of healthy growth in the first two years of life.
Image quality evaluation of real low-dose breast PET
Authors: Satoh Yoko , Imai Masamichi , Ikegawa Chihiro , Onishi Hiroshi
Published: May 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical feasibility of high-resolution dedicated breast positron emission tomography (dbPET) with real low-dose 18F-2-fluorodeoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) by comparing images acquired with full-dose FDG.

Materials and methods

Nine women with no history of breast cancer and previously scanned by dbPET injected with a clinical 18F-FDG dose (3 MBq/kg) were enrolled. They were injected with 50% of the clinical 18F-FDG dose and scanned with dbPET for 10 min for each breast 60 and 90 min after injection. To investigate the effect of the scan start time and acquisition time on image quality, list-mode data were divided into 1, 3, 5, and 7 min (and 10 min with 50% FDG injected) from the start of acquisition and reconstructed. The reconstructed images were visually and quantitatively compared for contrast between mammary gland and fat (contrast) and for coefficient of variation (CV) in the mammary gland.

Results

In visual evaluation, the contrast between the mammary gland and fat acquired at a 50% dose for 7 min was comparable and even better in smoothness than that in the images acquired at a 100% dose. No visual difference between the images with a 50% dose was found with scan start times 60 and 90 min after injection. Quantitative evaluation showed a slightly lower contrast in the image at 60 min after 50% dosing, with no difference between acquisition times. There was no difference in CV between conditions; however, smoothness decreased with shorter acquisition time in all conditions.

Conclusions

The quality of dbPET images with a 50% FDG dose was high enough for clinical application. Although the optimal scan start time for improved lesion-to-background mammary gland contrast remained unknown in this study, it will be clarified in future studies of breast cancer patients.
Assessing the impact of climate change on the Medjerda River Basin
Authors: Rajosoa Andrianirina Sedera , Abdelbaki Chérifa , Mourad Khaldoon A.
Published: May 2022

Assessing the availability of water resources in the changing climate is needed to meet current and future water needs. This paper assesses the impact of climate change on the water resources of the Medjerda River Basin (MRB) (shared between Tunisia and Algeria) using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model under two climatic scenarios of Representative Concentration Pathways: RCP 2.6 and RCP 6.0. The results showed that water demands will increase from 218 Mm3 in 2020 to 395 Mm3 in 2050, which means that water supply will be insufficient to meet water needs, especially during the prolonged periods of drought. In addition, water shortage in MRB increases three times compared with the reference scenario, which means that all vital sectors in MRB will be affected by climate change. Moreover, groundwater storage will be affected in diffrent areas, especially between 2045 and 2050. Therefore, national and regional stakeholder involvement is needed to build an integrated water resource management strategy, by which water resource allocation and adaptation plans can be addressed and assessed in each sector by experts to achieve sustainability.
Exploration of the effect of wing component post-buckling on bending-twist coupling for nonlinear wing twist
Authors: Hahn Daniel , Haupt Matthias
Published: May 2022

A new investigated concept for passive load alleviation is to exploit the nonlinear behavior of wing design components to trigger a deformation which reduce loads once a critical load level is reached. The necessary deformation is a torsional rotation which is supposed to reduce the angle of attack. For this target, wingbox sections are investigated regarding their nonlinear behavior with finite element analysis. Parameter studies feature anisotropic carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layups for the skins, layups and thicknesses for spars and the presence of stringers. Results show a desired nonlinear progressive bending-torsion coupling for an unstiffened wingbox section, when the upper skin and the rear spar are modified. After modification they are allowed to buckle within the load envelope. The skin has an anisotropic layup. The rear spar needs to be thinner than the front spar. Both modifications result in progressively increasing torsional rotation of the wingbox with increasing load. Stringers are not applied because they limit the nonlinearity which is not desired for the envisioned load alleviation technique.
Pyrochlore-based high-entropy ceramics for capacitive energy storage
Authors: Chen Yiying , Qi Junlei , Zhang Minhao , Luo Zixi , Lin Yuan-Hua
Published: May 2022

High-performance dielectrics are widely used in high-power systems, electric vehicles, and aerospace, as key materials for capacitor devices. Such application scenarios under these extreme conditions require ultra-high stability and reliability of the dielectrics. Herein, a novel pyrochlore component with high-entropy design of Bi1.5Zn0.75Mg0.25Nb0.75Ta0.75O7 (BZMNT) bulk endows an excellent energy storage performance of Wrec ≈ 2.72 J/cm3 together with an ultra-high energy efficiency of 91% at a significant enhanced electric field Eb of 650 kV/cm. Meanwhile, the temperature coefficient (TCC) of BZMNT (∼ −220 ppm/°C) is also found to be greatly improved compared with that of the pure Bi1.5ZnNb1.5O7 (BZN) (∼ −300 ppm/°C), demonstrating its potential application in temperature-reliable conditions. The high-entropy design results in lattice distortion that contributes to the polarization, while the retardation effect results in a reduction of grain size to submicron scale which enhances the Eb. The high-entropy design provides a new strategy for improving the high energy storage performance of ceramic materials.
Trajectory prediction based on conditional Hamiltonian generative network for incomplete observation image sequences
Authors: Qian Kui , Tian Lei , Song Aiguo
Published: May 2022

The combination of Hamiltonian formalism and neural networks is playing an important role in dealing with chaotic systems. Aiming at the problem of motion control under the condition of unknown physical quantity and incomplete observation set, a trajectory prediction model based on conditional Hamiltonian generating network (CHGN) for incomplete observation image sequences is proposed. CHGN is composed of Conditional AutoEncoder (CVAE), Hamiltonian neural network (HNN) and Velocity–Verlet integrator. CVAE encoder converts the short-term continuous observation image sequence into target motion state features represented by generalized coordinates and generalized momentum, and generates the trajectory prediction image at the specified time. HNN is used to learn potential Hamiltonian physical quantities, so as to understand more chaotic system dynamics information to realize state cognition. Velocity–Verlet integrator predicts the motion state at any moment according to the Hamiltonian learned by HNN at the current moment. The motion state and the specified time are used as the input of CVAE decoder to generate the target prediction image from the potential motion space. Experimental results show that CHGN can accurately predict target trajectories over a long period of time based on incomplete short-term image sequences, and has better performance with minimum mean square error(MSE) on three physical system datasets than existing deep learning methods.
Joint self-supervised and reference-guided learning for depth inpainting
Authors: Wu Heng , Fu Kui , Zhao Yifan , Song Haokun , Li Jia
Published: May 2022

Depth information can benefit various computer vision tasks on both images and videos. However, depth maps may suffer from invalid values in many pixels, and also large holes. To improve such data, we propose a joint self-supervised and reference-guided learning approach for depth inpainting. For the self-supervised learning strategy, we introduce an improved spatial convolutional sparse coding module in which total variation regularization is employed to enhance the structural information while preserving edge information. This module alternately learns a convolutional dictionary and sparse coding from a corrupted depth map. Then, both the learned convolutional dictionary and sparse coding are convolved to yield an initial depth map, which is effectively smoothed using local contextual information. The reference-guided learning part is inspired by the fact that adjacent pixels with close colors in the RGB image tend to have similar depth values. We thus construct a hierarchical joint bilateral filter module using the corresponding color image to fill in large holes. In summary, our approach integrates a convolutional sparse coding module to preserve local contextual information and a hierarchical joint bilateral filter module for filling using specific adjacent information. Experimental results show that the proposed approach works well for both invalid value restoration and large hole inpainting.
Structures and change – Tracing adaptability based on structural porosity in converted buildings
Authors: Rinke Mario , Pacquée Robbe
Published: May 2022

Among the approaches of circular construction, the reuse of buildings can be considered the most desirable as it leaves a large portion of embodied carbon untouched. At the same time, it also minimises the energy effort of modifying, transporting or reprocessing the components. However, its underlying mechanisms and boundaries are largely understudied as convertibility and adaptability are currently at most rudimentary integrated neither into legal frameworks nor the architectural or technical design process in practice. In this paper, a new methodology is presented based on the models of Brand (1995) and Leupen (2006) to describe the adaptability of buildings as a function of their structure. The model also includes the circulation system and the specific areas of use. In the discussion of structurally determined usability, several concepts are introduced, such as structural porosity, pockets of use, diversity of pockets of use and diversity of circulation. The method is applied to three case studies that offer different adaptabilities due to their structural configurations. As the permeability or structural porosity of slabs significantly contributes to the usability throughout the structure’s lifetime, ribbed slabs seem to increase adaptability. Together with the spatial structural porosity of the grid, it proves to be a helpful criterion for good appropriability and convertibility. The method proved beneficial in understanding the dependence of the change of use on a given structural configuration. It helps to name the essential aspects, objectify them and make substantially different buildings comparable.
Socio-cultural and economic factors affecting the choice of food diet in West Africa: a two‑stage Heckman approach
Authors: Miassi Yann Emmanuel , Dossa Fabrice Kossivi , Zannou Oscar , Akdemir Şinasi , Koca Ilkay , Galanakis Charis M. , Alamri Abdulhakeem S.
Published: May 2022

West African countries have made impressive progress in fighting against malnutrition and hunger and ensuring food quality and varying food choices. This paper aimed for the first time to evaluate the determinants of diet choice by the populations of West Africa, especially those of Benin, Togo, and Nigeria. The data collected from 473 people relate mainly to their socioeconomic and cultural characteristics and the factors determining the choice of the diet for which they have opted. These data were analyzed using the Tobit model based on the Heckman method. The statistical analysis of the results obtained allowed us to deduce that the populations studied generally opt for a flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan diet. The age, level of education, religious and ancestral beliefs, social framework, monthly income, perception of the costs generated by each diet, perception of the consumption of products of animal origin such as meat and fish have a significant influence on the choice of diet. The intensity of the chosen diet was determined by variables such as sex, level of education, social framework, perception of consumption of animal products, and meat and fish. Diet being a determining parameter of our state of health, it is imperative to make people aware of the different diets so that they can identify and adopt the one that suits them best.
Digital Technology, Politics, and Policy-Making
Authors: Gilardi Fabrizio
Published: May 2022

This element shows, based on a review of the literature, how digital technology has affected liberal democracies with a focus on three key aspects of democratic politics: political communication, political participation, and policy-making. The impact of digital technology permeates the entire political process, affecting the flow of information among citizen and political actors, the connection between the mass public and political elites, and the development of policy responses to societal problems. This element discusses how digital technology has shaped these different domains, identifies areas of research consensus as well as unresolved questions, and argues that a key perspective involves issue definition, that is, how the nature of the problems raised by digital technology is subject to political contestation.
Finite-time velocity-free trajectory tracking control for a stratospheric airship with preassigned accuracy
Authors: Wu Y. , Wang Q. , Duan D.
Published: May 2022

This paper concentrates on the trajectory tracking problem for a stratospheric airship subject to underactuated dynamics, unmeasured velocities, modeling inaccuracies and environmental disturbances. First, a coordinate transformation is performed to solve the underactuated issue, which simultaneously permits a priori assignment of the tracking accuracy. Second, a finite-time observer is integrated into the control structure to offer the exact information of unmeasured velocities and uncertainties in an integral manner. Then, by combining the backstepping technique with the method of adding a power integrator, a new output-feedback control strategy is derived with several salient contributions: (1) the airship’s position errors fall into a predetermined residual region near zero within a finite settling time and stay there, while all the closed-loop signals maintain bounded during operation; and (2) no artificial neural networks and filters are adopted, resulting in a low-complexity control property. Furthermore, the presented method can be extended readily to a broad range of second-order mechanical systems as its design builds upon a transformed system model. Rigorous mathematical analysis and simulations demonstrate the above theoretical findings.
Open data: The building block of 21st century (open) science
Authors: Pascu Corina , Burgelman Jean-Claude
Published: May 2022

This paper identifies the potential benefits of data sharing and open science, supported by artificial intelligence tools and services, and dives into the challenges to make data open and findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).
Measuring as a New Mode of Inquiry That Bridges Evolutionary Game Theory and Cancer Biology
Authors: Kaznatcheev Artem , Lin Chia-Hua
Published: May 2022

We show that as game theory was transferred from mathematical oncology to experimental cancer biology, a new mode of inquiry was created. Modeling was replaced by measuring. The game measured by a game assay can serve as a bridge that allows knowledge to flow backward from target (cancer research) to source (game theory). Our finding suggests that the conformist and creative (Houkes and Zwart 2019) types of transfer need to be augmented. We conclude by introducing the expansive and transformative types to get a four-tier typology of knowledge transfer.
(Un)Easily Possible Synthetic Biology
Authors: Knuuttila Tarja , Loettgers Andrea
Published: May 2022

Synthetic biology has a strong modal dimension that is part and parcel of its engineering agenda. In turning hypothetical biological designs into actual synthetic constructs, synthetic biologists reach toward potential biology instead of concentrating on naturally evolved organisms. We analyze synthetic biology’s goal of making biology easier to engineer through the combinatorial theory of possibility, which reduces possibility to (re)combinations of individuals and their attributes in the actual world. While the last decades of synthetic biology explorations have shown biology to be much more difficult to engineer than originally conceived, synthetic biology has not given up its combinatorial approach.
Ligation of patent ductus arteriosus through left anterior mini-thoracotomy in preterm infants
Authors: Kılıç Yiğit , Irdem Ahmet Kuddusi , Doyurgan Onur , Özlem Gül , Balik Hasan , Bıcak Esra Aktiz , Salik Fikret , Aldudak Bedri
Published: May 2022

Objective:

Patent ductus arteriosus is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in very low birth weight infants. The aim of the study is to report our single-centre short-term results of preterm patients who underwent ligation through left anterior mini-thoracotomy .

Methods:

Data of 27 preterm infants operated by the same surgeon who underwent Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure with left anterior mini-thoracotomy technique between November 2020 and January 2022 at a single institution were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups according to their weight at the time of surgery. Data on early postoperative outcomes and survival rates after discharge were collected.

Results:

Twenty-seven patients with a mean (±SD) gestational age of 25.8 (±2.0) weeks and a mean birth weight of 1027 (±423) g were operated using left anterior mini-thoracotomy technique. The lowest body weight was 480 g. Complications such as bleeding, abnormal healing of incision, or pneumothorax were not seen. There were 8 mortalities after the operation (29,6 %). The causes of the deaths were sepsis, necrotising enterocolitis, hydrops fetalis, hepatoblastoma, and intracranial bleeding. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of complication between the groups.

Conclusions:

Left anterior mini-thoracotomy technique can be performed as the first choice when transcatheter intervention cannot be applied in preterm infants. It provides easy access to the PDA, a good exposure, minimal contact with the lungs, good cosmetic results in early and mid-term and shortens the operation time, especially in very low birth weight preterm babies. However, early ligation may be helpful to minimise the complications related to PDA.
Interpreting the Labor and Legacy of the Independent Literary Typist; or, the Typing of Ethel Kate Dickens
Authors: Pennington Heidi L.
Published: May 2022

While analysis of the figure of the “typewriter girl” abounds in literary scholarship, few have yet taken the real typewriting women, those individuals involved in the production of literature, as serious subjects of literary study. This article focuses on one such typist, Ethel Kate Dickens (1864–1936), in an examination of the types of intellectual and social work that constituted her literary-adjacent career. Ethel Dickens was not only a representative “independent literary typist” at the turn of the twentieth century, she was also the granddaughter of the “inimitable” Charles Dickens, a business owner, and a playwright; she typed for G. B. Shaw, J. M. Barrie, and other notables. Leveraging evidence that includes Barrie's “The Twelve Pound Look,” archival letters, historic typewriting manuals, and a wide array of periodicals, I argue that reevaluating her work as specifically literary labor recuperates significant processes that are frequently omitted from official accounts of literary history. Recovering the interpretive and transformative processes of Ethel Kate Dickens's professional literary copying thus expands what it might mean to make and experience literature, and to have literary value, beyond the persistent paradigms of “originality” that continue to structure literary studies today.
Panoramas, Patriotic Voyeurism, and the “Indian Mutiny”
Authors: Kingstone Helen
Published: May 2022

The panorama was from its outset a medium of contemporary history. This article examines its contribution to initial historical narratives about the “Indian Mutiny” (1857–58). Nineteenth-century critics often saw the form as voyeuristic, while modern scholars have critiqued its chauvinistic patriotism. The article uses panorama paratexts, adverts, and reviews to recover the visitor experience and to compare these with contemporary would-be historical accounts of the mutiny. I ask, Was it possible for panoramic representations of the mutiny to avoid jingoism? And what can this case study tell us about mid-nineteenth-century approaches to historical distance?

My analysis of 1850s panoramas of the mutiny (by Burford, Hamilton, Marshall, and Gompertz) shows that when they depicted graphic violence, it did not suppress visitor numbers but did lead to accusations of voyeurism. Reviewers declared that the events were too temporally and emotionally proximate to be treated as history. Initial contemporary histories nonetheless borrowed from panoramic modes in their illustrations of the mutiny, making panoramas a means of mediating events into historical form. By the 1870s, concerns about voyeurism diminished but chauvinistic representation continued, as the episode ossified into a cultural myth. Chronological distance did not lead to greater openness but to more unquestioning jingoism.