bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new approach to model reduction of nonlinear control systems using smooth orthogonal decomposition
Authors: Ilbeigi Shahab , Chelidze David
Published: June 2021

A new approach to model order reduction of nonlinear control systems is aimed at developing persistent reduced order models (ROMs) that are robust to the changes in system's energy level. A multivariate analysis method called smooth orthogonal decomposition (SOD) is used to identify the dynamically relevant modal structures of the control system. The identified SOD subspaces are used to develop persistent ROMs. Performance of the resultant SOD‐based ROM is compared with proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)–based ROM by evaluating their robustness to the changes in system's energy level. Results show that SOD‐based ROMs are valid for a relatively wider range of the nonlinear control system's energy when compared with POD‐based models. In addition, the SOD‐based ROMs show considerably faster computations compared to the POD‐based ROMs of same order. For the considered dynamic system, SOD provides more effective reduction in dimension and complexity compared to POD.
Carbon Materials for Solar Water Evaporation and Desalination
Authors: Guan Weixin , Guo Youhong , Yu Guihua
Published: June 2021

Seawater desalination is viewed as a promising solution to world freshwater scarcity. Solar assisted desalination is proposed to overcome the high energy consumption in current desalination technologies, as it uses abundant and sustainable solar energy as the only energy input. Interfacial solar vapor generation (SVG) has attracted considerable research interest due to its high energy conversion efficiency, simple implementation, and cost‐effectiveness. Among all the candidate materials for solar evaporators, carbon‐based materials stand out due to their intrinsic high solar absorption, highly tunable structure, easy preparation, low cost, and earth‐abundancy. In this review, the recent progress on carbon‐based materials for the development of interfacial SVG is summarized. First, a brief introduction to the basic design principles of the interfacial SVG system is presented. Then, recent efforts in carbon‐based solar evaporators, from artificial structures to bioinspired configurations, focusing on their structure–function relationship are highlighted. Strategies for designing antisalt‐fouling desalination systems are also summarized. Last, the challenges and opportunities of carbon‐based materials for solar evaporation technology are elaborated.
Effort prediction for the software project construction phase
Authors: López‐Martín Cuauhtémoc
Published: June 2021

The construction phase effort prediction is needed for assigning resources to teams of practitioners destined specifically to this phase of the software development life cycle (SDLC). Construction effort (CE) has been reported between 27.5% and 58% of the total SDLC effort causing the uncertainty of taking these percentages as reference. A support vector regression (SVR) training involves quadratic programming problems that can analytically be solved using a sequential minimal optimization (SMO) algorithm. Moreover, a Pearson VII (PUK) kernel is useful to replace a set of kernel functions commonly used by a SVR. The objective of this study is to apply the SMO with the PUK to train SVR for predicting CE. The SVR model trained with the SMO algorithm having as kernel to the PUK (SVR‐SMO‐PUK) prediction accuracy was statistically compared to those accuracies obtained from statistical regression (SR), neural network (NN), and two types of SVR. Seven international public data sets of software projects were used. Results showed that the SVR‐SMO‐PUK was better than the SR in five data sets and better than NN in two of these five data sets. It was equal than SR and NN in the remaining two data sets. It was equal than ε‐SVR and ʋ‐SVR in the seven data sets. Thus, the SVR‐SMO‐PUK is useful to software managers to predict CE.
Framing effects and the market selection hypothesis: Evidence from real‐world isomorphic bets
Authors: Brown Alasdair , Yang Fuyu
Published: June 2021

We collect data on 75 million GBP of tennis bets over a 6 year period to analyze whether participants in high‐stakes environments recognize simple framing differences. The structure of this market means that we can place the same bet at the same time in two different ways. These two isomorphic bets are framed differently, and often priced differently. We find that bettors make frequent mistakes, choosing the worse of the two bets in 35% of cases. However, bettors who choose the inferior price earn higher returns from their bets, suggesting that their effort has been focused on fundamental information acquisition rather than bet execution. The net result is that market selection may, if anything, slightly favor those who are unable, or unwilling, to recognize framing differences.
Working process of Roots vacuum pumps
Authors: Raykov A. , Burmistrov A. , Salikeev S. , Isaev A.
Published: June 2021

Entwicklung und Verifizierung des CFD‐Modells für Wälzkolbenpumpen

Wälzkolbenpumpen sind aufgrund der Ölfreiheit des Arbeitsvolumens, der Einfachheit der Konstruktion, des hohen Arbeitsdurchsatzes und der Zuverlässigkeit weit verbreitet. Der Arbeitsprozess in Roots‐Gebläsen wurde mit Hilfe von Methoden der numerischen Strömungsmechanik (CFD) untersucht. Es wurde ein hexaedrisch strukturiertes Netz des Arbeitsvolumens mit konstanter Schrittweite über den Rotordrehwinkel erstellt. Luft wurde als Arbeitsmedium im Modell eines kompressiblen idealen Gases betrachtet. Für die Berechnung wurde das Turbulenzmodell Shear Stress Transport (SST) verwendet.

Die Verifizierung des entwickelten mathematischen Modells wurde durch den Vergleich der berechneten und experimentell gewonnenen Beziehung zwischen der Fördermenge und dem Druckverhältnis bei verschiedenen Drehzahlen im Kompressorregime durchgeführt. Der Unterschied zwischen Berechnung und Experiment übersteigt nicht 8 %. Es wurde ein Vergleich zwischen berechneten und experimentellen Indikatordiagrammen in der Arbeitskammer durchgeführt und das Wälzkolben‐Vakuumpumpumpen‐Drehzahlniveau gemessen.

Die maximale Differenz zwischen dem Experiment und der Berechnung mit der CFD‐Methode beträgt 9,8 %. In beiden Fällen kann der Unterschied zwischen Berechnung und Experiment vor allem durch Fehler bei der Messung der tatsächlichen Radialabstände erklärt werden. Die Analyse der Geschwindigkeitsfelder im Roots‐Gebläse, das im Vakuum‐ und Kompressorregime arbeitet, wurde mit Hilfe des CFD‐Modells durchgeführt. Die Gasgeschwindigkeit im Spalt ist bei niedrigen Drücken viel höher. Dies lässt sich durch die größere Druckdifferenz zwischen Einlass und Auslass bei Vakuumbedingungen erklären.
Threshold Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS)
Authors: Hatton P. J. , Davies S. , Wardropper C. L.
Published: June 2021

Schwellenwert‐Ionisations‐Massenspektrometrie (TIMS) – Sanfte Ionisierung für verbesserte Selektivität in Echtzeit

Die Schwellenwert‐Ionisations‐Massenspektrometrie (TIMS) hat sich als Technik zur Verbesserung von Standardmethoden der Restgasanalyse etabliert, insbesondere wenn die dominanten Peaks im Massenspektrum bei nahezu gleichem Masse/Ladungs‐Verhältnis auftreten. Die Massenpeaks sind dann mit Standard‐Quadrupol‐Massenspektrometrie‐Methoden schwer zu trennen. Es werden mehrere Anwendungen beschrieben, bei denen sich TIMS als sehr effektiv erwiesen hat. Darüber hinaus wurde untersucht, wie die Interpretation von TIMS‐Messungen durch die Anpassung von aus theoretischen Ausdrücken berechneten Trendlinien an die experimentellen Daten verbessert werden kann.
Preparation of a novel environmentally friendly hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent ChCl‐THY and its application in removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution
Authors: Rajput Mohit Kumar , Konwar Manashjyoti , Sarma Diganta
Published: June 2021

A liquid–liquid extraction methodology was developed for the removal of Cr(VI) from contaminated water using a novel green hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) as an efficient sole extracting agent. The hydrophobic DES was obtained by mixing choline chloride and thymol in 1:4 molar ratio at 70°C for 10 min and was denoted as ChCl‐THY(1:4). The ChCl‐THY(1:4) works efficiently for removal of high (20 mg/L) and low (500 µg/L) concentration of Cr(VI) from artificially contaminated natural water with >95% extraction efficiency (E%) at optimized reaction conditions (pH 2–6, 40°C). The DES was characterized by 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, and the data suggest that interaction occurs between Cl− ion of choline chloride and H atoms of thymol molecules. Physicochemical properties such as density, melting point, moisture, and solubility were studied and discussed. Herein, no sharp melting point was observed for ChCl‐THY(1:4) in DSC curve. DES was regenerated using 0.1 M NaOH as stripping agent, and 50%–60% extraction efficiency could be attained in the next cycle. A plausible mechanism of interaction between Cr(VI) species and DES was also explored with the help of FTIR spectroscopy.

Practitioner Points

A novel hydrophobic DES (ChCl‐THY) is prepared by mixing choline chloride and thymol at 1:4 molar ratio.

ChCl‐THY(1:4) is employed for the first time as sole extracting agent to remove the Cr(VI) from contaminated aqueous solution.

>95% extraction efficiency was achieved by ChCl‐THY(1:4) in natural water conditions at µg/L and mg/L level of contamination.

Both the component used to prepare the DES are naturally abundant; hence, DES is not toxic for biota.

The element present in natural water did not show any interference with extraction of Cr(VI).
The Ill(s) of the Nation: The Experience of Tuberculosis in Finland from the 1920s to the 1970s
Authors: Hakosalo Heini
Published: June 2021

Heini Hakosalo makes use of an extensive collection of written, unpublished tuberculosis-related illness narratives to analyze the experience of tuberculosis and tuberculosis sanatoria “from below” within the context of twentieth-century Finland. Hakosalo argues that by linking their personal illness histories to national history, the authors could give a sense of purpose and meaning to their personal losses and suffering. At the same time, their testimonies stood as a contribution, however modest, to the national knowledge-community. She distinguishes three narrative strands that allowed the authors to assimilate their personal illness with the collective ills of the nation: histories of tuberculosis as stories of progress, stories of war, and stories of belonging.
Feeling the Nation through Exploring the City: Urban Pedagogy and Children’s Lived Experiences in Postwar Helsinki
Authors: Malinen Antti , Vahtikari Tanja
Published: June 2021

In the post-1945 world, Finnish schools were appointed the new task of fostering democratic values and educating peace-loving citizens. By exploring postwar art and environmental education in Helsinki, understood as means to expand children’s emotional competences, Malinen and Vahtikari provide a unique analysis of the ways educators, children and urban space co-produced the nation in everyday (school) practices. Malinen and Vahtikari show the importance of fully acknowledging the spatial, material and sensory aspects of emotions when discussing children’s emotional formation and historical manifestations of everyday nationalism. To illustrate the adult-children co-creation of different ideas, practices and emotions with respect to the national community, the chapter uses two sets of contemporary sources: educators’ writings and children’s drawings.
Red Orphans’ Fatherland: Children in the Civil War of 1918 and Its Aftermath
Authors: Kaarninen Mervi
Published: June 2021

The Civil War in 1918 divided Finland into White winners and Red losers. These divisions affected all citizens, including children. Drawing from a regional oral history collection from the 1970s, this chapter analyzes how the children of the Reds were integrated into the shared fatherland, and how they understood and experienced the nation. The Children of the Reds had to respond to different expectations and demands. At school, they were taught emotions and values that stood in contrast to the values to which they were raised at home. The children of the Reds experienced the feeling that they belonged to the losers of the war and were marginalized within the context of the nation.
Cosmological α′-corrections from the functional renormalization group
Authors: Basile Ivano , Platania Alessia
Published: June 2021

Abstract

We employ the techniques of the Functional Renormalization Group in string theory, in order to derive an effective mini-superspace action for cosmological backgrounds to all orders in the string scale α′. To this end, T-duality plays a crucial role, classifying all perturbative curvature corrections in terms of a single function of the Hubble parameter. The resulting renormalization group equations admit an exact, albeit non-analytic, solution in any spacetime dimension D, which is however incompatible with Einstein gravity at low energies. Within an E-expansion about D = 2, we also find an analytic solution which exhibits a non-Gaussian ultraviolet fixed point with positive Newton coupling, as well as an acceptable low-energy limit. Yet, within polynomial truncations of the full theory space, we find no evidence for an analog of this solution in D = 4. Finally, we comment on potential cosmological implications of our findings.
Mundgesundheitstrends im Kindesalter
Authors: Schmoeckel Julian , Santamaría Ruth M. , Basner Roger , Schankath Elisabeth , Splieth Christian H.
Published: June 2021

Für die Beschreibung der aktuellen epidemiologischen Trends der Karieserfahrung bei Kindern in Deutschland wurden die Mundgesundheitsdaten primär anhand der Epidemiologischen Begleituntersuchungen zur Gruppenprophylaxe (DAJ-Studie) für das Schuljahr 2015/2016 dargestellt. Hier standen Kariesdaten von 301.684 Kindern verteilt auf 3 verschiedene Altersgruppen zur Verfügung. Für die Trends in der Kariesentwicklung wurden zudem weitere in Deutschland durchgeführte nationale und regionale Studien herangezogen.

Karies an Milchzähnen tritt schon sehr früh auf (bereits 10–17 % der 3‑Jährigen sind betroffen) und ist auch unter 6‑ bis 7‑Jährigen noch weitverbreitet (ca. 40–60 %). Sehr hoch ist dabei der Anteil nicht sanierter kariöser Milchzähne (3-Jährige: 73,9 %, 6‑ bis 7‑Jährige: 42,5 %). Bei den 6‑ bis 7‑Jährigen sind in den letzten 10 Jahren außerdem kaum noch Verbesserungen zu verzeichnen. Die Karieswerte der erstmals im Rahmen der DAJ-Studie national untersuchten 3‑Jährigen liegen in dem Bereich der Werte aus bisherigen lokalen Studien der letzten Jahrzehnte, bei den 6‑ bis 7‑Jährigen konvergieren die Werte regional. Bei den 12-Jährigen ist die mittlere Karieserfahrung im bleibenden Gebiss in den letzten knapp 20 Jahren um etwa 80 % gesunken. Damit liegt Deutschland hinsichtlich der Mundgesundheit dieser Altersgruppe weltweit im Spitzenbereich.

Bezüglich der Mundgesundheit im Milchgebiss besteht in Deutschland dennoch ein deutliches Optimierungspotenzial. Kürzlich implementierte präventive Maßnahmen adressieren dieses Problem bereits, sodass weitere Verbesserungen ähnlich den Erfolgen im bleibenden Gebiss realistisch erscheinen und zu erwarten sind.
Screening and Analysis of Multiclass Veterinary Drug Residues in Animal Source Foods using UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS
Authors: Zhao Wentao , Jiang Rui , Guo Wenping , Guo Chao , Li Shilei , Wang Juanqiang , Wang Shouwei , Li Yingying
Published: June 2021

A rapid, simple, and sensitive method of detecting veterinary drug residues in animal food sources, including poultry and pork, was developed and validated. The method was optimized for over 155 veterinary drugs of 21 different classes. Sample pretreatment included a simple solid-liquid extraction step with 0.2% formic acid-acetonitrile-water and a purification step with a PRiME HLB (hydrophile-lipophile balance) solid-phase extraction cartridge. Data were collected using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to Quadrupole-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry. The limits of detection of 155 veterinary drugs ranged from 0.1 µg/kg to 10 µg/kg. The recovery rates were between 79.2 and 118.5 % in all matrices studied, with relative standard deviation values less than 15% (n = 6). The evaluated method allows the reliable screening, quantification, and identification of 155 veterinary drug residues in animal source food and has been successfully applied in authentic samples.
Trading with richer and poorer countries: trade integration and regional inequality in Greece
Authors: Rodríguez-Pose Andrés , Sotiriou Alexandra
Published: June 2021

This paper examines the link between increased trade and regional GDP growth across the regional income distribution in Greece during the post-EMU period (2000–2013). By means of quantile regression techniques, panel fixed effects and system generalized method of moments (GMM), we disentangle the effects of EU trade—trading with generally richer countries—versus global trade—in the case of Greece, mostly trading with poorer countries—at several points of the regional income distribution to identify differences in trade elasticities. The analysis finds that the impact of EU trade is highly heterogeneous and mainly affects negatively the economy of the richer regions in Greece. In contrast, the effects of EU trade display insignificant results for the lower-income regions, attributed to the absence of direct substitution effects.
Lesions of abdominal connectives reveal a conserved organization of the calling song central pattern generator (CPG) network in different cricket species
Authors: Lin Chu-Cheng , Hedwig Berthold
Published: June 2021

Although crickets move their front wings for sound production, the abdominal ganglia house the network of the singing central pattern generator. We compared the effects of specific lesions to the connectives of the abdominal ganglion chain on calling song activity in four different species of crickets, generating very different pulse patterns in their calling songs. In all species, singing activity was abolished after the connectives between the metathoracic ganglion complex and the first abdominal ganglion A3 were severed. The song structure was lost and males generated only single sound pulses when connectives between A3 and A4 were cut. Severing connectives between A4 and A5 had no effect in the trilling species, it led to an extension of chirps in a chirping species and to a loss of the phrase structure in two Teleogryllus species. Cutting the connectives between A5 and A6 caused no or minor changes in singing activity. In spite of the species-specific pulse patterns of calling songs, our data indicate a conserved organisation of the calling song motor pattern generating network. The generation of pulses is controlled by ganglia A3 and A4 while A4 and A5 provide the timing information for the chirp and/or phrase structure of the song.
Body composition and mortality in patients undergoing endovascular treatment for peripheral artery disease
Authors: Itagaki Tadashi , Ebisawa Soichiro , Otagiri Kyuhachi , Kato Tamon , Miura Takashi , Kanzaki Yusuke , Abe Naoyuki , Yokota Daisuke , Yanagisawa Takashi , Senda Keisuke , Okina Yoshiteru , Wakabayashi Tadamasa , Oyama Yushi , Karube Kenichi , Machida Keisuke , Takeuchi Takahiro , Saigusa Tatsuya , Motoki Hirohiko , Kitabayashi Hiroshi , Kuwahara Koichiro
Published: June 2021

An inverse correlation between body mass index and mortality in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) has been reported. However, little information is available regarding the impact of body composition on the clinical outcomes in patients with PAD. This study evaluated the relationships between the lean body mass index (LBMI), body fat % (BF%), and mortality and major amputation rate in patients with PAD. We evaluated 320 patients with PAD after endovascular treatment (EVT) enrolled from August 2015 to July 2016 and divided them into low and high LBMI and BF% groups based on their median values (17.47 kg/m2and 22.07%, respectively). We assessed 3-year mortality and major amputation for the following patient groups: Low LBMI/Low BF%, Low LBMI/High BF%, High LBMI/Low BF%, and High LBMI/High BF%. During the median 3.1-year follow-up period, 70 (21.9%) patients died and 9 (2.9%) patients experienced major amputation. The survival rate was lower in the Low LBMI than in the High LBMI group, and was not significantly different between the Low and High BF% groups. Survival rates were lowest in the Low LBMI/Low BF% group (57.5%) and highest in the High LBMI/High BF% group (94.4%). There were no significant differences in major amputation rate between the Low LBMI and High LBMI groups, and between the Low BF% and High BF% groups. The Low LBMI and Low BF% groups were associated with an increased risk of mortality after adjustment for age, sex, frailty and conventional risk factors [hazard ratio (HR): 4.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.10–7.70;p < 0.001 and HR: 4.48; 95% CI 1.58–12.68,p = 0.005, respectively], for age, sex, hemodialysis, and prior cerebral cardiovascular disease (HR: 3.63; 95% CI 1.93–6.82;p < 0.001 and HR: 4.03; 95% CI 1.43–11.42,p = 0.009, respectively) and for age, sex, and laboratory date (HR: 3.97; 95% CI 1.88–8.37;p < 0.001 and HR: 3.31; 95% CI 1.15–9.53,p = 0.026, respectively). In conclusion, Low LBMI and Low BF% were associated with poor prognosis in patients undergoing EVT for PAD, and mortality was the lowest in the High LBMI/High BF% group compared with other body composition groups.
Hepatitis-E-Virus-Infektion bei einem Patienten mit rheumatoider Arthritis unter Baricitinib-Therapie
Authors: Valor-Méndez Larissa , Manger Bernhard , Schett Georg , Kleyer Arnd
Published: June 2021

Es wurde ein Patient mit rheumatoider Arthritis (RA) vorgestellt, der unter der Therapie mit dem Januskinase-1/2-Inhibitor Baricitinib eine Infektion mit dem Hepatitis-E-Virus (HEV) entwickelte. Unser Patient hatte bei seiner vierteljährlichen Routineuntersuchung deutlich erhöhte Transaminasen bei einer unauffälligen körperlichen Untersuchung. Es fanden sich Antikörper der IgM- und IgG-Klasse gegen HEV und ein erhöhtes C‑reaktives Protein (CRP) sowie HEV-RNA mittels Real-Time-PCR, was auf eine frische HEV-Infektion hinwies. Baricitinib wurde sofort abgesetzt. Die ausführliche Anamnese ergab, dass der Patient Tage vor der Konsultation Rindertartar verzehrt hatte, ohne dass gastrointestinale Symptome oder Fieber aufgetreten waren. Im weiteren Verlauf erholte sich der Patient vollständig, und die Leberfunktionstests und das CRP normalisierten sich innerhalb von 3 Monaten. Baricitinib wurde daraufhin wieder eingenommen. Bisher wurden nur wenige Daten zu HEV-Infektionen bei RA-Patienten, die mit JAK-Inhibitoren behandelt wurden, publiziert.
Total hip arthroplasty for destructive septic arthritis of the hip using a two-stage protocol without spacer placement
Authors: Hipfl Christian , Karczewski Daniel , Oronowicz Jakub , Pumberger Matthias , Perka Carsten , Hardt Sebastian
Published: June 2021

Introduction

The optimal treatment of patients with a degenerative joint disease secondary to an active or chronic septic arthritis of the hip is unclear. The aim of the present study was to report on our experience with two-stage total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a contemporary treatment protocol without spacer insertion.

Materials and methods

Our prospective institutional database was used to identify all patients with degenerative septic arthritis treated with a non-spacer two-stage protocol between 2011 and 2017. Clinical outcomes included interim revision, periprosthetic infection (PJI) and aseptic revision rates. Restoration of leg-length and offset were assessed radiographically. Modified Harris hip score (mHHS) were obtained. Treatment success was defined using the modified Delphi consensus criteria. Mean follow-up was 62 months (13–110).

Results

A total of 33 patients with a mean age of 60 years (13–85) were included. 55% of the cohort was male and average Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 3.7 (0–12). 21 patients (64%) had an active/acute infection and 12 patients (36%) were treated for chronic/quiescent septic arthritis. Overall, 11 patients (33%) had treatment failure, including 5 patients who failed to undergo THA, 2 interim re-debridement for persistent infection, and 4 patients who developed PJI after an average of 7 months (0.3–13) following THA. The most common identified pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (42.4%). No aseptic revision was recorded following THA. Leg-length and offset were successfully restored. Mean mHHS improved from 35.2 points to 73.4 points.

Conclusion

Two-stage THA without spacer placement is a viable treatment option for destructive septic arthritis of the hip, demonstrating comparable rates of infection control and functional outcome. However, definitive resection arthroplasty is not uncommon in these often critically ill patients.
Comorbidities and treatment patterns in adult patients with atopic dermatitis: results from a nationwide multicenter study
Authors: Campanati A. , Bianchelli T. , Gesuita R. , Foti C. , Malara G. , Micali G. , Amerio P. , Rongioletti F. , Corazza M. , Patrizi A. , Peris K. , Pimpinelli N. , Parodi A. , Fargnoli M. C. , Cannavo S. P. , Pigatto P. , Pellacani G. , Ferrucci S. M. , Argenziano G. , Cusano F. , Fabbrocini G. , Stingeni L. , Potenza M. C. , Romanelli M. , Bianchi L. , Offidani A. ,   and collaborators, Romita P. , Musumeci M. L. , Piras V. , Borghi A. , Loi C. , Gori N. , Prigano F. , Gallo R. , Esposito M. , Campitello A. , Bolzano L. , Tavecchio S. , Calabrese G. , Di Costanzo L. , Hansel K. , Skroza N. , Tolino E. , Tonini G. , Talamonti M.
Published: June 2021

Adult atopic dermatitis (adult AD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder, whose relationship with immune-allergic and metabolic comorbidities is not well established yet. Moreover, treatment of mild-to-moderate and severe atopic dermatitis needs standardization among clinicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of comorbidities, including metabolic abnormalities, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, alopecia and sleep disturbance, according to severity of adult AD, and describe treatments most commonly used by Italian dermatologists. Retrospective, observational, nationwide study of adult patients over a 2-year period was performed. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained through review of medical records of patients aged ≥ 18 years, followed in 23 Italian National reference centres for atopic dermatitis between September 2016 and September 2018. The main measurements evaluated were disease severity, atopic and metabolic comorbidities, treatment type and duration. Six-hundred and eighty-four adult patients with AD were included into the study. Atopic, but not metabolic conditions, except for hypertension, were significantly associated with having moderate-to-severe AD in young adult patients. Disease duration was significantly associated with disease severity. Oral corticosteroids and cyclosporine were the most widely used immunosuppressant. Our study seems confirm the close relationship between adult AD and other atopic conditions, further long-term cohort studies on patients affected by adult AD need to be performed to evaluate the complex relationship between adult AD disease severity and metabolic comorbidities.
Associations between combinations of job demands and job control among 6,16,818 people aged 55–64 in paid work with their labour market status 11 years later: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Farrants Kristin , Head J. , Framke E. , Rugulies R. , Alexanderson K.
Published: June 2021

Background

Given current discussions about extending working lives, more knowledge is needed on working conditions associated with labour market status in older age.

Objective

To explore associations between combinations of job demands and job control among workers aged 55–64 years and their labour market status 11 years later.

Methods

A population-based prospective cohort study using nationwide register data. The 616,818 individuals in Sweden aged 55–64 who in 2001 were in paid work were categorised using a job exposure matrix based on tertiles (reference = medium control/medium demands). Participants were followed up in 2012 regarding their main labour market status (paid work, old-age pension, no income/social assistance, sickness absence/disability pension, emigrated, dead; reference = old-age pension) using multinomial logistic regression for odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The fully adjusted analyses included adjustment for sociodemographic factors and unemployment or sickness absence/disability pension for more than half the year in 2001.

Results

Those in occupations with low job control at baseline were less likely to be in paid work at follow-up (OR low demands/low control 0.74, CI 0.71–0.78; high demands/low control 0.81, CI 0.75–0.87). Those in occupations with baseline high demands were less likely to have no income/social assistance at follow-up (OR high demands/low control 0.71, CI 0.52–0.96; high demands/high control 0.59, CI 0.47–0.75).

Conclusion

Job demands and control when aged 55–64 were associated with labour market status 11 years later: high control was associated with greater chance of being in paid work, and high demands were associated with lower risk of no income/social assistance.
Order Conditions for Sampling the Invariant Measure of Ergodic Stochastic Differential Equations on Manifolds
Authors: Laurent Adrien , Vilmart Gilles
Published: June 2021

We derive a new methodology for the construction of high-order integrators for sampling the invariant measure of ergodic stochastic differential equations with dynamics constrained on a manifold. We obtain the order conditions for sampling the invariant measure for a class of Runge–Kutta methods applied to the constrained overdamped Langevin equation. The analysis is valid for arbitrarily high order and relies on an extension of the exotic aromatic Butcher-series formalism. To illustrate the methodology, a method of order two is introduced, and numerical experiments on the sphere, the torus and the special linear group confirm the theoretical findings.
The emotional heart: prospective associations of anger, depression, and anxiety as risk factors for myocardial infarction in a 22-year follow-up of a working cohort of middle-aged men
Authors: Vella Rebecca , Sloan Richard P. , Eriksson Bo , Dimberg Lennart
Published: June 2021

Aim

The study aim was to further clarify the relationship between psychological factors and myocardial infarction (MI) by simultaneously examining anger, depression, and anxiety as risk factors for incident MI in a healthy working sample.

Subject and method

Baseline measurements of psychological variables were assessed through a self-reported questionnaire in a healthy cohort of 968 middle-aged men working at the Volvo Corporation. Single-item questions assessed depression and anxiety. Anger was assessed by the Trait Anger subscale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. The endpoint was incident MI verified by national registers or medical records with follow up after 22 years. The main outcome was computed through logistic regression, reported as odds ratios. Additional correlation analyses were performed between psychological variables and coronary risk factors.

Results

None of the psychological variables was significantly associated with the outcome; thus, the results failed to show an association between anger, depression, or anxiety and incident MI in this sample. There were some significant, but weak, correlations between psychological factors and negative health behaviors. Other components of traditional risk scoring instruments did not correlate with the psychological factors.

Conclusion

A cohort restricted to middle-age healthy men limits applicability. However, our failure to replicate earlier results of population samples suggests a need for further research on associations between psychological factors and MI in healthy samples.
Let the people decide: citizen deliberation on the role of GMOs in Mali’s agriculture
Authors: Pimbert Michel P. , Barry Boukary
Published: June 2021

This paper describes and critically reflects on a participatory policy process which resulted in a government decision not to introduce genetically modified (GM) cotton in farmers’ fields in Mali (West Africa). In January 2006, 45 Malian farmers gathered in Sikasso to deliberate on GM cotton and the future of farming in Mali. As an invited policy space convened by the government of Sikasso region, this first-time farmers' jury was unique in West Africa. It was known as l’ECID—Espace Citoyen d’Interpellation Démocratique (Citizen’s Space for Democratic Deliberation)—and it had an unprecedented impact on the region. In this Deliberative and Inclusive Process (DIP), the ECID combined the citizens’ jury method with indigenous methods for debate and dialogue, including the traditional African palaver. The ECID brought together male and female producers representing every district in the Sikasso region of southern Mali, specialist witnesses from various continents and a panel of independent observers, as well as resource persons and members of the national and international press and media. As an experiment in deliberative democracy, the ECID of Sikasso aimed to give men and women farmers the opportunity to share knowledge on the benefits and risks of GM cotton, and make policy recommendations on the future of GM technology in Malian agriculture. Designed as a bottom-up and participatory process, the ECID’s outcomes significantly changed national policy on the release of GM technology and have had an enduring influence in Mali. In this paper, we describe our positionality as action researchers and co-organisers of the ECID. We explain the methodology used for the ECID of Sikasso and critically reflect on the safeguards that were put in place to ensure a balanced and trustworthy deliberative process. The ECID and its key outcomes are discussed in the context of the political economy of GM cotton in West Africa. Last, we briefly highlight the relevance of the ECID for current international debates on racism in the theory and practice deliberative democracy; the production of post-normal transdisciplinary knowledge for technology risk-assessments; and the politics of knowledge in participatory policy-making for food and agriculture.
Measuring and eliminating the bullwhip in closed loop supply chains using control theory and Internet of Things
Authors: Papanagnou Christos I.
Published: June 2021

Closed-loop supply chains are complex systems as they involve the seamless backward and forward flow of products and information. With the advent of e-commerce and online shopping, there has been a growing interest in product returns and the associated impact on inventory variance and the bullwhip effect. In this paper, a novel four-echelon closed-loop supply chain model is presented, where base-stock replenishment policies are modelled by means of a proportional controller. A stochastic state-space model is implemented, initially to capture the supply chain dynamics while the model is analysed under stationarity conditions with the aid of a covariance matrix. This allows the bullwhip effect to be expressed as a function of replenishment policies and product return rates. Next, an optimisation method is introduced to study the impact of the Internet of Things on inventory variance and the bullwhip effect. The results show that the Internet of Things can reduce costs associated with inventory fluctuations and eliminate the bullwhip effect in closed-loop supply chains.
Decoding human cancer with whole genome sequencing: a review of PCAWG Project studies published in February 2020
Authors: Giunta Simona
Published: June 2021

Cancer is underlined by genetic changes. In an unprecedented international effort, the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) sequenced the tumors of over two thousand five hundred patients across 38 different cancer types, as well as the corresponding healthy tissue, with the aim of identifying genome-wide mutations exclusively found in cancer and uncovering new genetic changes that drive tumor formation. What set this project apart from earlier efforts is the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) that enabled to explore alterations beyond the coding DNA, into cancer’s non-coding genome. WGS of the entire cohort allowed to tease apart driving mutations that initiate and support carcinogenesis from passenger mutations that do not play an overt role in the disease. At least one causative mutation was found in 95% of all cancers, with many tumors showing an average of 5 driver mutations. The PCAWG Project also assessed the transcriptional output altered in cancer and rebuilt the evolutionary history of each tumor showing that initial driver mutations can occur years if not decades prior to a diagnosis. Here, I provide a concise review of the Pan-Cancer Project papers published on February 2020, along with key computational tools and the digital framework generated as part of the project. This represents an historic effort by hundreds of international collaborators, which provides a comprehensive understanding of cancer genetics, with publicly available data and resources representing a treasure trove of information to advance cancer research for years to come.
Phylogeography of Aphanius fasciatus (Osteichthyes: Aphaniidae) in the Mediterranean Sea, with a focus on its conservation in Cyprus
Authors: Langeneck Joachim , Englezou Chris , Di Maggio Matteo , Castelli Alberto , Maltagliati Ferruccio
Published: June 2021

Aphanius fasciatus is a small fish occurring in Mediterranean brackish environments. In Cyprus it is known from three localities separated by long stretches of coast. The genetic diversity of these populations was evaluated using fragments of two mitochondrial genes. A comparison with the other available data showed that Cyprus populations represent a distinct lineage. The other lineages are concentrated in a relatively small area between the Strait of Sicily and the Western Ionian Sea, while all other areas include a subset of these lineages, suggesting that the aforementioned area might have acted as a glacial refugium. Landlocked North-African populations diverge from all other populations, suggesting that they might have originated in the Late Pleistocene, during transgression events of the Mediterranean Sea in North-African inland water bodies. The genetic diversity of A. fasciatus varied across different Cyprus populations, with a pattern mirroring the degree of environmental degradation, which likely affected population genetic variability through demographic reductions. The three Cyprus populations showed genetic uniqueness, suggesting the need of population-based management practices; the low genetic diversity of two populations, and the number of threats affecting them, suggest that the species should be considered endangered at national level and deserves protection measures.
The Impact of Age Stereotypes on Well-being: Strategies of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation as Mediator and Regulatory Focus as Moderator: Findings from a Cross-Sectional and a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Söllner Martin , Dürnberger Mirjam , Keller Johannes , Florack Arnd
Published: June 2021

In a cross-sectional (Study 1) and a longitudinal study (Study 2), the authors examined whether the association between age stereotypes and well-being is mediated by self-regulatory engagement in goal pursuit. In Study 1 (N = 666), engagement in self-regulatory strategies of selection (e.g., selecting appropriate goals), optimization (e.g., acquiring resources for goal achievement), and compensation (e.g., searching for help) were assessed as potential mediators and, concurrently, regulatory focus was explored as a moderator of the association of age stereotypes and well-being. The results demonstrated consistent positive associations of positive age stereotypes and different kinds of well-being. These associations were partially mediated by optimization, but not by selection or compensation. Furthermore, the relationships between positive age stereotypes and well-being were attenuated for promotion-focused individuals. In Study 2 (N = 2325), we measured age stereotypes at baseline and several well-being measures at baseline as well as 6 and 9 years later. Age stereotypes at baseline predicted well-being at the later measurement times. Also, the associations between age stereotypes and different aspects of well-being were mediated by self-regulatory engagement in selection, optimization, and compensation.
Simulation of chemo-thermo-mechanical problems in cement-based materials with Peridynamics
Authors: Bazazzadeh Soheil , Morandini Marco , Zaccariotto Mirco , Galvanetto Ugo
Published: June 2021

A chemo-thermo-mechanical problem is solved using a peridynamic approach to investigate crack propagation in non-reinforced concrete at early-age. In the present study, the temperature evolution and the variation of the hydration degree in conjunction with the mechanical behaviour of cement-based materials are examined. Firstly, a new peridynamic model is introduced to solve fully coupled chemo-thermal problems by satisfying thermal equilibrium condition and hydration law simultaneously and then the effects of the chemo-thermal analysis are imposed in the mechanical framework to investigate all the interactions. The proposed approach is used to solve 2D chemo-thermo-elastic problems and then it is applied to investigate the fracture of concrete structures. Additionally, we examine the accuracy of the method by comparing the crack paths, temperature and hydration degree with those achieved by applying other numerical methods and the experimental data available in the literature. A good agreement is obtained between all sets of results.
Understanding bikeability: a methodology to assess urban networks
Authors: Reggiani Giulia , van Oijen Tim , Hamedmoghadam Homayoun , Daamen Winnie , Vu Hai L. , Hoogendoorn Serge
Published: June 2021

A fully separated bicycle network from vehicular traffic is not realistic even for the most bicycle-friendly cities. Thus, all around the world urban cycling entails switching between streets of different safety, convenience, and comfort levels. As a consequence, the quality of bicycle networks should be evaluated not based on one but multiple factors and by considering the different user preferences regarding these factors. More comprehensive methodologies to assess urban bicycle networks are essential to the operation and planning of modern city transportation. This work proposes a multi-objective methodology to assess—what we refer to as—bikeability between origin–destination locations and over the entire network, useful for evaluation and planning of bicycle networks. We do so by introducing the concept of bikeability curves which allows us to assess the quality of cycling in a city network with respect to the heterogeneity of user preferences. The application of the proposed methodology is demonstrated on two cities with different bike cultures: Amsterdam and Melbourne. Our results suggest the effectiveness of bikeability curves in describing the characteristic features and differences in the two networks.
Maturation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, Salmonidae): a synthesis of ecological, genetic, and molecular processes
Authors: Mobley Kenyon B. , Aykanat Tutku , Czorlich Yann , House Andrew , Kurko Johanna , Miettinen Antti , Moustakas-Verho Jacqueline , Salgado Andrés , Sinclair-Waters Marion , Verta Jukka-Pekka , Primmer Craig R.
Published: June 2021

Over the past decades, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, Salmonidae) has emerged as a model system for sexual maturation research, owing to the high diversity of life history strategies, knowledge of trait genetic architecture, and their high economic value. The aim of this synthesis is to summarize the current state of knowledge concerning maturation in Atlantic salmon, outline knowledge gaps, and provide a roadmap for future work. We summarize the current state of knowledge: 1) maturation in Atlantic salmon takes place over the entire life cycle, starting as early as embryo development, 2) variation in the timing of maturation promotes diversity in life history strategies, 3) ecological and genetic factors influence maturation, 4) maturation processes are sex-specific and may have fitness consequences for each sex, 5) genomic studies have identified large-effect loci that influence maturation, 6) the brain-pituitary–gonadal axis regulates molecular and physiological processes of maturation, 7) maturation is a key component of fisheries, aquaculture, conservation, and management, and 8) climate change, fishing pressure, and other anthropogenic stressors likely have major effects on salmon maturation. In the future, maturation research should focus on a broader diversity of life history stages, including early embryonic development, the marine phase and return migration. We recommend studies combining ecological and genetic approaches will help disentangle the relative contributions of effects in different life history stages to maturation. Functional validation of large-effect loci should reveal how these genes influence maturation. Finally, continued research in maturation will improve our predictions concerning how salmon may adapt to fisheries, climate change, and other future challenges.
Integrating immediate gains with sustainable performance: systematic review of paradox at the intersection of strategic management and innovation
Authors: Schulte Leonie
Published: June 2021

Digital technologies introduce change as a permanent feature of organizational life, creating an imbalance between market requirements and organizational capabilities. This article seeks to explore the tensions that organizations are confronted with when they engage in the strategic management of innovation (SMI) to achieve immediate and simultaneously lasting success. The divergent nature of strategic management and innovation promotes opposing organizational demands routed in a diversity of stakeholder agendas that foster an unhealthy tug-of-war over scarce resources. The resulting paradoxes are mirrored in the SMI literature. Hence to promote a more accurate understanding of complex organisational dynamics, this study organizes and integrates the diverse body of knowledge on SMI within the scope of a systematic literature review. By adopting a paradox perspective, a conceptual scheme is developed onto which competing demands are mapped. The application of framework synthesis reveals a wide array of paradoxes at the intersection of innovation and strategic management, including the inter-organisational, firm, project and individual level of analysis, while accounting for certain contextual factors that expose paradoxical tensions. The study thus contributes to the advancement of SMI literature by applying a new conceptual perspective, by employing a fairly new method to framework synthesis, and by recognizing the potential of environmental complexity in reference to subliminal tensions. The article proposes a research agenda with a more nuanced perspective on competing demands inherent in SMI, while also offering managerial implications that account for contemporary imperatives.