bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultralight Flexible Electrodes of Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Macrotube Sponges for High‐Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Fu Min , Lv Ruitao , Lei Yu , Terrones Mauricio
Published: December 2020

Light‐weight and flexible supercapacitors with outstanding electrochemical performances are strongly desired in portable and wearable electronics. Here, ultralight nitrogen‐doped carbon macrotube (N‐CMT) sponges with 3D interconnected macroporous structures are fabricated and used as substrate to grow nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles by vapor diffusion–precipitation and in situ growth. This process effectively suppresses the agglomeration of NiFe2O4, enabling good interfacial contact between N‐CMT sponges and NiFe2O4. More remarkably, the as‐synthesized NiFe2O4/N‐CMT composite sponges can be directly used as electrodes without additional processing that could cause agglomeration and reduction of active sites. Benefiting from the tubular structure and the synergetic effect of NiFe2O4 and N‐CMT, the NiFe2O4/N‐CMT‐2 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 715.4 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1, and 508.3 F g−1 at 10 A g−1, with 90.9% of capacitance retention after 50 000 cycles at 1 A g−1 in an alkaline electrolyte. Furthermore, flexible supercapacitors are fabricated, yielding areal specific capacitances of 1397.4 and 1041.2 mF cm−2 at 0.5 and 8 mA cm−2, respectively. They also exhibit exceptional cycling performance with capacitance retention of 92.9% at 1 mA cm−2 after 10 000 cycles under bending. This work paves a new way to develop flexible, light‐weight, and high‐performance energy storage devices.
Unraveling the Friction Evolution Mechanism of Diamond‐Like Carbon Film during Nanoscale Running‐In Process toward Superlubricity
Authors: Wang Kang , Zhang Jie , Ma Tianbao , Liu Yanmin , Song Aisheng , Chen Xinchun , Hu Yuanzhong , Carpick Robert W. , Luo Jianbin
Published: December 2020

Diamond‐like carbon (DLC) films are capable of achieving superlubricity at sliding interfaces by a rapid running‐in process. However, fundamental mechanisms governing the friction evolution during this running‐in processes remain elusive especially at the nanoscale, which hinders strategic tailoring of tribosystems for minimizing friction and wear. Here, it is revealed that the running‐in governing superlubricity of DLC demonstrates two sub‐stages in single‐asperity nanocontacts. The first stage, mechanical removal of a thin oxide layer, is described quantitatively by a stress‐activated Arrhenius model. In the second stage, a large friction decrease occurs due to a structural ordering transformation, with the kinetics well described by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov model with a modified load dependence of the activation energy. The direct observation of a graphitic‐layered transfer film formation together with the measured Avrami exponent reveal the primary mechanism of the ordering transformation. The findings provide fundamental insights into friction evolution mechanisms, and design criteria for superlubricity.
Additive‐Free Aqueous MXene Inks for Thermal Inkjet Printing on Textiles
Authors: Uzun Simge , Schelling Marion , Hantanasirisakul Kanit , Mathis Tyler S. , Askeland Ron , Dion Genevieve , Gogotsi Yury
Published: December 2020

Direct printing of functional inks onto flexible substrates allows for scalable fabrication of wearable electronics. However, existing ink formulations for inkjet printing require toxic solvents and additives, which make device fabrication more complex, limit substrate compatibility, and hinder device performance. Even water‐based carbon or metal nanoparticle inks require supplemental surfactants, binders, and cosolvents to produce jettable colloidal suspensions. Here, a general approach is demonstrated for formulating conductive inkjet printable, additive‐free aqueous Ti3C2Tx MXene inks for direct printing on various substrates. The rheological properties of the MXene inks are tuned by controlling the Ti3C2Tx flake size and concentration. Ti3C2Tx‐based electrical conduits and microsupercapacitors (MSCs) are printed on textile and paper substrates by optimizing the nozzle geometry for high‐resolution inkjet printing. The chemical stability and electrical properties of the printed devices are also studied after storing the devices for six months under ambient conditions. Current collector‐free, textile‐based MSCs show areal capacitance values up to 294 mF cm−2 (2 mV s−1) in poly(vinyl alcohol)/sulfuric acid gel electrolyte, surpassing reported printed MXene‐based MSCs and inkjet‐printed MSCs using other 2D nanomaterials. This work is an important step toward increasing the functional capacity of conductive inks and simplifying the fabrication of wearable textile‐based electronics.
Nanoarchitectonics Revolution and Evolution: From Small Science to Big Technology
Authors: Ariga Katsuhiko
Published: December 2020

Along with the progresses of material syntheses, the importance of structural regulation is realized to rationally improve the efficiencies and specificities in target functions. Small science is necessary for advanced material systems. A novel concept, nanoarchitectonics, to combine nanotechnology with the other scientific disciplines to synthesize a functional material system with contributions of small objects, nano‐units, is recently proposed. Based on facts and knowledge in nanoscale objects explored by nanotechnology, functional material systems are constructed using nano‐units with the aid of the other research fields, such as organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and biology. The introduction of nanoarchitectonics essences to material construction can produce unusual functional systems, such as brain‐like information processing based on atomic‐level reactions, diffusions, and aggregations. Probe‐tip‐mediated organic reactions are also possible with precise site selectivity. The coupling of equilibrium self‐assemblies and non‐equilibrium fabrication processes results in variously structured and hierarchical functional structures even from simple 0D nano‐units such as fullerenes. Especially, interfacial nanoarchitectonics directly bridge nanoscopic functions and macroscopic actions, including facile contact with nanostructures and living cells. This review article overviews nanoarchitectonics from origin to future, from atoms to materials, and from small science to big technology.
Defect Electrocatalysts and Alkaline Electrolyte Membranes in Solid‐State Zinc–Air Batteries: Recent Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Wu Mingjie , Zhang Gaixia , Du Lei , Yang Dachi , Yang Huaming , Sun Shuhui
Published: December 2020

Rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs) have attracted much attention due to their promising capability for offering high energy density while maintaining a long operational lifetime. One of the biggest challenges in developing all‐solid‐state ZABs is to design suitable bifunctional air‐electrodes, which can efficiently catalyze the key oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrochemical processes. The other one is to develop robust electrolyte membranes with high ionic conductivity and superb water retention capability. In this review, an in‐depth discussion of the challenges, mechanisms, and design strategies for the defect electrocatalyst and the electrolyte membrane in all‐solid‐state ZABs will be offered. In particular, the crucial defect engineering strategies to tune the ORR/OER catalysts are summarized, including direct controllable strategies: 1) atomically dispersed metal sites control, 2) vacancy defects control, and 3) lattice‐strain control, and the indirect strategies: 4) crystallographic structure control and 5) metal–carbon support interaction control. Moreover, the most recent progress in designing electrolyte membranes, including polyvinyl alcohol‐based membranes and gel polymer electrolyte membranes, is presented. Finally, the perspectives are proposed for rational design and fabrication of the desired air electrode and electrolyte membrane to improve the performance and prolong the lifetime of all‐solid‐state ZABs.
Enantioselective resolutions by high‐performance liquid choromatography using chiral inorganic mesoporous silica
Authors: Xiong Wan‐Qi , Lv Yun , Peng Bo , Fu Shi‐Guo , Duan Ai‐Hong , Zhang Mei , Yuan Li‐Ming
Published: December 2020

Four chiral hexagonal ordered mesoporous silica were synthesized by self‐assembly and templated by surface active agents prepared from d‐phenylalanine, l‐phenylglycine, l‐proline, and l‐isoleucine, with tetraethoxylsilane as the silica source and N‐trimethoxysilylpropyl‐N,N,N‐trimethylammonium chloride as the structure promoter under the induction of templates. The four generated mesoporous silica materials were used to prepare chromatographic columns to separate chiral compounds and positional isomers of benzene series with a good separation effect and a complementary effect on species separation. The experiment suggests that the four chromatographic columns have a wide range of applications and potential practical value, providing a possible direction to explore new chiral stationary phases.
Outcome weighted ψ‐learning for individualized treatment rules
Authors: Liu Mingyang , Shen Xiaotong , Pan Wei
Published: December 2020

An individualized treatment rule is often employed to maximize a certain patient‐specific clinical outcome based on his/her clinical or genomic characteristics as well as heterogeneous response to treatments. Although developing such a rule is conceptually important to personalized medicine, existing methods such as the partial least squares suffers from the difficulty of indirect maximization of a patient's clinical outcome, while the outcome weighted learning is not robust against any perturbation of the outcome. In this article, we propose a weighted ψ‐learning method to optimize an individualized treatment rule, which is robust against any data perturbation near the decision boundary by seeking the maximum separation. To solve non‐convex minimization, we employ a difference convex algorithm to relax the non‐convex minimization iteratively based on a decomposition of the cost function into a difference of two convex functions. On this ground, we also introduce a variable selection method for further removing redundant variables for a higher performance. Finally, we illustrate the proposed method by simulations and a lung health study, and we demonstrate that it yields higher performances in terms of accuracy of prediction of individualized treatment.
Interrupter Size Effect of High‐Voltage Gas Circuit Breaker on Thermal Interruption Performance and Current Zero Properties
Authors: Sakuyama Toshiaki , Kotsuji Hideyuki , Terada Masanao , Shiraishi Katsuhiko , Urai Hajime
Published: December 2020

Small model interrupters are convenient to investigate interrupting performance of high‐voltage gas circuit breakers in terms of efficiency. However, the equivalence of interruption phenomena of small model interrupters (e.g., interrupting performance, interruption criteria, and geometric sensitivity) to product‐scale interrupters has not been clarified. Interrupting tests with small and large model interrupters were carried out with the dimensions of the interrupter as parameters to clarify the effects of modified interrupter dimensions on blast pressure and interrupting performance. Arc voltage and arc conductance were measured to acquire detailed electrical behavior in the thermal interrupting phase. In the results, small model interrupters showed the same performance trends as geometrically modified large model interrupters. By introducing an interrupter size factor, the boundary of the extinction peak of the arc voltage and arc conductance at 200 ns before current zero that distinguishes the success and failure of interruption for both small and large models agreed well. Moreover, the arc parameters determined by Cassie and Mayr arc models were analyzed with consideration to interrupter size factor. In conclusion, the interrupter size factor was validated from the point of arc phenomena and an equivalence of small model to product‐scale interrupter was confirmed. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
MiRNA‐429 alleviates ketamine‐induced neurotoxicity through targeting BAG5
Authors: Fan Xiaodi , Bian Wenchao , Liu Meichen , Li Jinjie , Wang Yunyun
Published: December 2020

Ketamine is a kind of anesthetic broadly applied in clinic. However, growing evidence has indicated that ketamine may induce neurotoxicity. Previous studies showed that mircoRNAs (miRNAs) participate in various aspects of biological regulations. In our work, we aimed to reveal the role of miR‐429 in ketamine‐induced neurotoxicity. The qRT‐PCR was used to measure the miR‐429 levels in ketamine‐treated PC12 cells. TUNEL staining and caspase 3 activity detection assays were performed to assess cell apoptosis. A Cellular Reactive Oxygen Species Detection Assay Kit was utilized to detect ROS activity. A luciferase reporter assay was conducted in HEK‐293T cells to test the binding between miR‐429 and BAG5. Herein, we found that ketamine could induce the apoptosis and ROS activity in PC12 cells. The qRT‐PCR results showed that miR‐429 expression was downregulated by treatment of ketamine in a dose‐dependent manner. Overexpression of miR‐429 alleviated ketamine‐induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. Mechanically, BAG5 was identified to be a target of miR‐429 and negatively regulated by miR‐429. Moreover, BAG5 expression was upregulated after ketamine treatment. Rescue assays revealed that overexpression of BAG5 reversed the suppressive effects of miR‐429 upregulation on ketamine‐induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. In summary, miR‐429 attenuates ketamine‐induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells by the downregulation of BAG5.
Extracellular vesicle‐coated nanoparticles
Authors: Fathi Parinaz , Rao Lang , Chen Xiaoyuan
Published: December 2020

Synthetic nanoparticles have been used for a variety of theranostic applications to aid in the betterment of human health. These nanoparticles can provide platforms for targeted imaging and therapy of diseased tissues. The development of surface coatings for nanoparticles has enabled their selective uptake in tissues of interest, and the use of membrane‐derived nanoparticle coatings provides a particularly promising approach for the regulation of nanoparticle‐tissue interactions. Membranous extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by cells have been known to contain antigens, proteins, and other cell components on their surface that facilitate their uptake in target cells, enabling the transport of information from one cell to another. EV‐based nanoparticle coatings allow for the expansion of nanoparticle targeting from typical approaches that target individual antigens, to an approach that can simultaneously target many antigens for more efficient uptake within target cells. EV‐derived coatings also possess immune evasive properties that can lead to increased circulation time. In this mini‐review, we describe the various approaches and applications for EV coating of nanoparticles, a majority of which focus on cancer applications. We also provide an overview of commonly used EV sources for nanoparticle coating applications.
Scar Symptoms: Pruritus and Pain
Authors: Farrukh Osama , Goutos Ioannis
Published: December 2020

Scars can present with a wide variety of symptoms relating to appearance, function, as well as sensory disturbances. Pain and pruritus (itch) are by far the most common symptoms in clinical practice; they are often severe and have the propensity to persist over a prolonged period of time following wound healing. Earlier notions supported itch as a sub-modality of pain; however, with recent advances in the pathophysiology field and the delineation of discrete neurological pathways, they are recognized to comprise separate sensory modalities albeit sharing common key features. There is a significant amount of evidence that sensory symptoms can decrease patients’ quality of life in the acute and rehabilitative phase of wound healing and scar formation. This chapter aims to outline the basic pathophysiological processes underlying pain and pruritus in scars and present a variety of options available for management of these symptoms. The section will primarily draws upon scientific and clinical studies relating to burn hypertrophic and keloid scars given that most literature reports have studied sensory disturbances in these subtypes.
Epidemiology of Scars and Their Consequences: Burn Scars
Authors: van Baar Margriet E.
Published: December 2020

Pathological scarring in burn wounds can result in hypertrophic scars and/or contractures. Prevalences of hypertrophic scarring after burn injuries between 8% and 67% are reported. A recent prospective study revealed a prevalence of 8%. Data on prevalence of burn scar contractures are limited; reported prevalence at discharge varied between 38 and 54% and decreased with an increasing time post burn. About 5–20% of the people who suffered from burn injuries received reconstructive surgery after burns, up to 10 years post injury.

Factors predicting pathological scar formation after burn injuries include patient, injury and treatment characteristics. Injury- and treatment-related characteristics are the main predictors of scar outcomes after burn injury. These characteristics are related to burn size (total body surface area burned) and burn depth (number or type of surgery) or the overall healing process in general (length of stay, wound healing complications). Intrinsic patient-related risk factors seem to play a role as well but are less consistent predictors of scar outcome. This includes the risk factors like the female gender and also a younger age and darker skin.

Knowledge on risk factors for poor scar outcome can be used to tailor treatment, aftercare and scar prevention to these patients with a high-risk profile.
Foundations: Defoe and Equiano
Authors: Haschemi Yekani Elahe
Published: December 2020

This chapter discusses Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative as foundational texts of emergent enlightenment thinking about the subject in relation to modernity and slavery. The aesthetics of their entangled foundational tonality is characterised by self-reflexive descriptions of psychological interiority, a retrospective temporal framework, religious conversion, and a belief in the emerging modern market economy. While both self-made men develop an emotive claim to Britishness, the representation of familial feelings remains stifled. In contrast to insular adventurer Robinson Crusoe, former slave Olaudah Equiano’s life story is much more strongly reliant on bonds to establish commonality. Moreover, their constructions of masculinity are spatially distinct. While Equiano’s “oceanic” identity is mostly formed in movement on the sea, Crusoe’s “insular” version seems to fend off any form of Otherness. For Equiano claiming familiarity is instrumental in the process of being recognised as a citizen, for Crusoe, the flight from familial obligations is part of the narrative appeal of his adventure. Thus, this chapter argues that while Black writing is often dismissed as imitative, it is in fact the marginalised perspective of the ex-slave that can be considered foundational of a more realistic description of intersubjectivity in English writing.
Digressions: Sancho and Sterne
Authors: Haschemi Yekani Elahe
Published: December 2020

Artifice and authenticity are conflictingly related in the extroverted and stylised displays of feeling in the texts of Laurence Sterne and Ignatius Sancho. Whereas Sterne employs aesthetic playfulness to set himself apart from literary predecessors, Sancho uses it to claim a part in the culture of taste and sensibility. This chapter reads Sancho and Sterne’s literary adoption of a digressive tonality distinctly not as imitative but as entangled. The scenes dealing with slavery inTristram ShandyandA Sentimental Journeyare tied into more bawdy episodes. While not necessarily only sentimental, they still elude ideas of political solidarity. Sancho’s interjections of emotional concern in his published letters in turn not only highlight his capacity to feel (as well as his attachment to his family); in adopting the Sternian digressive dash, he does not adhere to the usual linear form of redemptive abolitionist writing and displays a uniquely Black aesthetic voice, albeit one that also reproduces deprecating sentimental tropes. This needs to be read as more than simply epigonic. Sancho’s digressive tone, it will be argued, intervenes more fundamentally into the sentimentalist romance with the cultured, feeling subject of modernity, while Sterne remains more elusive in his aestheticised divagations.
Conclusion: Queer Modes of Empathy as an Ethics of the Archive
Authors: Haschemi Yekani Elahe
Published: December 2020

Addressing the boom of memorial events and special exhibitions as well as the establishment of the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool celebrating the bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade in 2007, the conclusion ofFamilial Feelingreturns to the question of ethics in dealing with the archive of slavery. Reflecting on methodology in literary studies by contrasting surface reading with approaches that foreground negative affects, Haschemi Yekani, via a recourse to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s “reparative” reading, proposes a queering of empathy that should not rest on a celebratory understanding of the past, as trauma overcome, but serve as a foundation of ongoing tension in contemporary narratives of familial feeling and national belonging. For this purpose, Haschemi Yekani examines the 2007 installationSwallow Hard: The Lancaster Dinner Serviceby artist Lubaina Himid. The author proposes that by engaging with the messy entanglements of marginalised and hegemonic voices in the establishment of Britishness as familial feeling, one can arrive at more complex reading strategies of the literary sources from the historical archive of the early Black Atlantic and the British novel as well as a less congratulatory contemporary memorial culture that seeks British “Greatness” in the past.
Introduction
Authors: Anderson Colin Ray , Bruil Janneke , Chappell M. Jahi , Kiss Csilla , Pimbert Michel Patrick
Published: December 2020

In this introductory chapter, we introduce agroecology as an urgent alternative paradigm for food and farming in a time of growing ecological, economic and social crises. We briefly outline the role of food systems in these intersecting crises and introduce how agroecology is much more than a ‘technical fix’ that calls to tweak the existing system. It is rather a framework for transformation that can be adopted in pursuit of a more just and sustainable food system. The chapter describes the origin of the book and provides a roadmap to help the reader navigate the flow of the manuscript.
Origins, Benefits and the Political Basis of Agroecology
Authors: Anderson Colin Ray , Bruil Janneke , Chappell M. Jahi , Kiss Csilla , Pimbert Michel Patrick
Published: December 2020

In this chapter, we introduce the origins and history of agroecology, outlining its emergence as a science and its longstanding history as a traditional practice throughout the world. We provide a brief review of the evidence of the benefits of agroecology in relation to productivity, livelihoods, biodiversity, nutrition, climate change and enhancing social relations. We then outline our approach to agroecology which is rooted in the tradition of political ecology that posits power and governance have always been the decisive factors in shaping agricultural and other ‘human’ systems.
Conceptualizing Processes of Agroecological Transformations: From Scaling to Transition to Transformation
Authors: Anderson Colin Ray , Bruil Janneke , Chappell M. Jahi , Kiss Csilla , Pimbert Michel Patrick
Published: December 2020

In this chapter, we survey the recent literature that speaks directly to the issue of bringing agroecology to scale. We discuss the shift towards analytical frameworks that consider not only the farm level but rather whole food system transformations. We then introduce the multi-level perspective on sustainability transitions which we adopt for the purpose of this book. Moving beyond the technical analysis often found in research on sustainability ‘transitions’, our approach thus adopts agency-centric approach to food systems ‘transformation’. To do this, we introduce the notion of domains of transformation, which represent discrete areas where the conflict between agroecology and the dominant food regime manifests and where the potential for collective and transformation is transformation is most potent.
Domain F: Discourse
Authors: Anderson Colin Ray , Bruil Janneke , Chappell M. Jahi , Kiss Csilla , Pimbert Michel Patrick
Published: December 2020

In this chapter, we examine how discourse—or the ways in which language is used to frame debates, policy and action—is a critical domain for agroecology transformations. A range of different types of actors (e.g. politicians, private companies, activists) use a process called ‘framing’ to convey their interpretation of agroecology where they ‘simplify and condense’ its complexity to align with their own views and ideologies. We present seven main frames across a spectrum from those that tend to disable a transformative agroecology (e.g. ‘feed the world’) to those that are most likely to enable political agroecology (e.g. ‘food sovereignty’). Notably all of these frames are at times being deployed in both productivist and depoliticized (regime-reinforcing) ways and also as a part of a transformative politics of political agroecology at different times by different actors.
200 years of equilibrium-line altitude variability across the European Alps (1901−2100)
Authors: Žebre Manja , Colucci Renato R. , Giorgi Filippo , Glasser Neil F. , Racoviteanu Adina E. , Del Gobbo Costanza
Published: December 2020

Mountain glaciers are key indicators of climate change. Their response is revealed by the environmental equilibrium-line altitude (ELA), i.e. the regional altitude of zero mass balance averaged over a long period of time. We introduce a simple approach for distributed modelling of the environmental ELA over the entire European Alps based on the parameterization of ELA in terms of summer temperature and annual precipitation at a glacier. We use 200 years of climate records and forecasts to model environmental ELA from 1901 to 2100 at 5 arcmin grid cell resolution. Historical environmental ELAs are reconstructed based on precipitation from the Long-term Alpine Precipitation reconstruction (LAPrec) dataset and temperature from the Historical Instrumental climatological Surface Time series of the greater Alpine region (HISTALP). The simulations of future environmental ELAs are forced with high-resolution EURO-CORDEX regional climate model projections for the European domain using three different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways, RCP). Our reconstructions yielded an environmental ELA across the European Alps of 2980 m above sea level for the period 1901−1930, with a rise of 114 m in the period 1971−2000. The environmental ELA is projected to exceed the maximum elevation of 69%, 81% and 92% of the glaciers in the European Alps by 2071−2100 under mitigation (RCP2.6), stabilization (RCP4.5) and high greenhouse gas emission (RCP8.5) scenarios, respectively.
Navigated laparoscopic microwave ablation of tumour mimics in pig livers: a randomized ex-vivo experimental trial
Authors: Thomas M. N. , Dieplinger G. , Datta R. R. , Kleinert R. , Fuchs H. F. , Bunck A. , Peterhans M. , Bruns C. J. , Stippel D. , Wahba R.
Published: December 2020

Background

In order to efficiently perform laparoscopic microwave ablation of liver tumours precise positioning of the ablation probe is mandatory. This study evaluates the precision and ablation accuracy using the innovative laparoscopic stereotactic navigation system CAS-One-SPOT in comparison to 2d ultrasound guided laparoscopic ablation procedures.

Methods

In a pig liver ablation model four surgeons, experienced (n = 2) and inexperienced (n = 2) in laparoscopic ablation procedures, were randomized for 2d ultrasound guided laparoscopic or stereotactic navigated laparoscopic ablation procedures. Each surgeon performed a total of 20 ablations. Total attempts of needle placements, time from tumor localization till beginning of ablation and ablation accuracy were analyzed.

Results

The use of the laparoscopic stereotactic navigation system led to a significant reduction in total attempts of needle placement. The experienced group of surgeons reduced the mean number of attempts from 2.75 ± 2.291 in the 2d ultrasound guided ablation group to 1.45 ± 1.191 (p = 0.0302) attempts in the stereotactic navigation group. Comparable results could be observed in the inexperienced group with a reduction of 2.5 ± 1.50 to 1.15 ± 0.489 (p = 0.0005). This was accompanied by a significant time saving from 101.3 ± 112.1 s to 48.75 ± 27.76 s (p = 0.0491) in the experienced and 165.5 ± 98.9 s to 66.75 ± 21.96 s (p < 0.0001) in the inexperienced surgeon group. The accuracy of the ablation process was hereby not impaired as postinterventional sectioning of the ablation zone revealed.

Conclusion

The use of a stereotactic navigation system for laparoscopic microwave ablation procedures of liver tumors significantly reduces the attempts and time of predicted correct needle placement for novices and experienced surgeons without impairing the accuracy of the ablation procedure.
Function Values Are Enough for $$L_2$$-Approximation
Authors: Krieg David , Ullrich Mario
Published: December 2020

We study the$$L_2$$L2-approximation of functions from a Hilbert space and compare the sampling numbers with the approximation numbers. The sampling number$$e_n$$enis the minimal worst-case error that can be achieved withnfunction values, whereas the approximation number$$a_n$$anis the minimal worst-case error that can be achieved withnpieces of arbitrary linear information (like derivatives or Fourier coefficients). We show that$$\begin{aligned} e_n \,\lesssim \, \sqrt{\frac{1}{k_n} \sum _{j\ge k_n} a_j^2}, \end{aligned}$$en≲1kn∑j≥knaj2,where$$k_n \asymp n/\log (n)$$kn≍n/log(n). This proves that the sampling numbers decay with the same polynomial rate as the approximation numbers and therefore that function values are basically as powerful as arbitrary linear information if the approximation numbers are square-summable. Our result applies, in particular, to Sobolev spaces$$H^s_\mathrm{mix}(\mathbb {T}^d)$$Hmixs(Td)with dominating mixed smoothness$$s>1/2$$s>1/2and dimension$$d\in \mathbb {N}$$d∈N, and we obtain$$\begin{aligned} e_n \,\lesssim \, n^{-s} \log ^{sd}(n). \end{aligned}$$en≲n-slogsd(n).For$$d>2s+1$$d>2s+1, this improves upon all previous bounds and disproves the prevalent conjecture that Smolyak’s (sparse grid) algorithm is optimal.
Rotational de-excitation of tricarbon monosulfide (C3S) in collision with (He): potential energy surface and rates
Authors: Sahnoun E. , Ben Khalifa M. , Khadri F. , Hammami K.
Published: December 2020

Despite that the tricarbon monosulfide (C3S) is among the first sulfur-containing carbon-chain molecules to be detected in the interstellar medium, no studies focused on the determination of its collisional rates. These rate coefficients are essential to estimate the abundance of C3S in the interstellar medium. Computations of the C3S($^{1}\Sigma^{+}$

Σ

+

1

) downward rate coefficients, induced by collision with He, are performed by averaging the integral cross sections at low temperature (below $25~\text{K}$
25

K
). Calculations of the cross sections in the close-coupling quantum time independent formalism for $E_{c}\leq110~\text{cm}^{-1}$

E
c

≤
110

cm

−
1

and $J\leq10$
J
≤
10
are based on a new 2-D potential energy surface. This PES is obtained from the explicit correlated coupled cluster with a single, double and perturbative triple excitation [ccsd(t)-f12] ab initio approach and the aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The PES have a global minimum of $-55.69~\text{cm}^{-1}$
−
55.69

cm

−
1

located at $R=6.25$
R
=
6.25
bohr and $\theta=94^{\circ}$
θ
=

94
∘

, and a second minimum of $-36.95~\text{cm}^{-1}$
−
36.95

cm

−
1

at $R=9.35$
R
=
9.35
bohr and $\theta=0^{\circ}$
θ
=

0
∘

. A comparison of C3S rates with those of the isoelectronic molecule C3O was made. The results indicate a great temperature dependence of the rates for transitions of $\Delta J>2$
Δ
J
>
2
. We expect that the new collisional data will allow for accurate determination of the C3S abundance in several interstellar regions.
Experimental and numerical assessment of suspended ceiling joints
Authors: Fiorin Laura , Brandolese Sara , Scotta Roberto
Published: December 2020

During an earthquake, damages of non-structural components can prevent the safe occupancy of buildings and contribute largely to the global economic losses. Ceiling systems are among the most common non-structural components, since they are widely installed in public buildings, retails and offices. As demonstrated by the failures reported after seismic events worldwide, ceiling joints are often subjected to damage that ultimately leads to collapse of the ceiling system. While perimeter joints have been assessed in many experimental campaigns, there are limited data regarding experimental and numerical characterisation of inner joints. Moreover, the available experimental results are characterized by elasto-fragile behaviour and concern devices which differ in size and type from the mechanical connections commonly manufactured in Europe. In this work a preliminary numerical study on a full-scale suspended ceiling model has been performed to evaluate the main actions on suspended ceiling joints. Moreover, an extensive experimental campaign has been conducted on a type of the so-called “standard” and “seismic” joints, produced in Europe and installed in different typologies of runners. Specimens were subjected to monotonic and cyclic quasi-static tests, using a similar setup to the ones used in Literature to allow a comparison of the performances obtained. Moreover, numerical models of the joints were developed and calibrated on the experimental results. The aim of this work is to evaluate the performance of different types of inner joints and investigate the influence of shape and dimensions of tees to the performance of the connection. The results here presented allows to accurately characterise the behaviour of inner joints and finally enhancing the global seismic behaviour of suspended ceilings.
Why are We So Good At Football, and They So Bad? Institutions and National Footballing Performance
Authors: Batarfi Meshael , Reade James
Published: December 2020

The basic production technology in football is identical for each team that competes. All around the world, a field, goalposts and a ball is all that is required, in addition to players. It’s hard to imagine the quality of informal football in public parks, streets and alleys the world over differs much. Yet at each country’s highest level, there exists vast quality differences in the national football teams across countries. This paper sketches out broad patterns in this variation in performance, and seeks to understand why some countries are very good, whilst others perform poorly. We investigate a range of macroeconomic, demographic and political explanations, alongside more conventional sporting metrics. We also consider the extent to which they explain the observed variation in footballing performance historically. We find that higher level of GDP per capita helps nations to win more often, but that population hinders this. A more developed domestic footballing structure appears to be helpful too.
‘Today a Christian Nation, Tomorrow a Muslim Nation’: a Defence of Rotating State Religions
Authors: de Vries Bouke
Published: December 2020

In more than 20% of countries, a single religion is recognized in the constitution. This article argues that there are good reasons for opposing such ‘mono-recognition’ as it fails to show due concern to members of constitutionally unrecognized (non-extremist) religions. Yet rather than opting for disestablishment as Sweden did in 2000, I show that there may be a better alternative in many cases: To constitutionally recognize a variety of religions. After distinguishing synchronic forms of plural recognition whereby multiple religions are constitutionally recognized simultaneously from diachronic forms whereby state religions are rotated, I defend the latter option. On this approach, a multi-religious state might have Catholicism as the state religion during the first part of the year, then Islam, then Judaism, and so on, whereby I argue that there ought to be differences in the amount of time that religions are recognized depending on differences in the strength of their claims to constitutional recognition. Besides being fairer than mono-recognition and synchronic plural recognition, I show that when some religious groups are marginalized, diachronic plural recognition has significant advantages over non-recognition of any religion as constitutionally recognizing these groups’ religions sends valuable signals that their members belong to society.
Geometric construction of homology classes in Riemannian manifolds covered by products of hyperbolic planes
Authors: Zschumme Pascal
Published: December 2020

We study the homology of Riemannian manifolds of finite volume that are covered by an r-fold product $$({\mathbb {H}}^2)^r = {\mathbb {H}}^2 \times \cdots \times {\mathbb {H}}^2$$

(

H

2

)

r

=

H

2

×
⋯
×

H

2

of hyperbolic planes. Using a variation of a method developed by Avramidi and Nguyen-Phan, we show that any such manifold M possesses, up to finite coverings, an arbitrarily large number of compact oriented flat totally geodesic r-dimensional submanifolds whose fundamental classes are linearly independent in the homology group $$H_r(M;{\mathbb {Z}})$$

H
r

(
M
;
Z
)

.
Identification of Critical Transcriptomic Signaling Pathways in Patients with H Syndrome and Rosai-Dorfman Disease
Authors: Lara-Reyna Samuel , Poulter James A. , Vasconcelos Elton J.R. , Kacar Mark , McDermott Michael F. , Tooze Reuben , Doffinger Rainer , Savic Sinisa
Published: December 2020

Biallelic mutations in SLC29A3 cause histiocytosis-lymphadenopathy plus syndrome, also known as H syndrome (HS). HS is a complex disorder, with ~ 25% of patients developing autoinflammatory complications consisting of unexplained fevers, persistently elevated inflammatory markers, and unusual lymphadenopathies, with infiltrating CD68+, S100+, and CD1a− histiocytes, resembling the immunophenotype found in Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD). We investigated the transcriptomic profiles of monocytes, non-activated (M0), classically activated (M1), and alternatively activated macrophages (M2) in two patients with HS, one without autoinflammatory (HS1) and one with autoinflammatory complications (HS2). RNA sequencing revealed a dysregulated transcriptomic profile in both HS patients compared to healthy controls (HC). HS2, when compared to HS1, had several differentially expressed genes, including genes associated with lymphocytic-histiocytic predominance (e.g. NINL) and chronic immune activation (e.g. B2M). The transcriptomic and cytokine profiles of HS patients were comparable to patients with SAID with high levels of TNF. SERPINA1 gene expression was found to be upregulated in all patients studied. Moreover, higher levels of IFNγ were found in the serum of both HS patients when compared to HC. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of the DEGs in HS patients revealed the terms “type I IFN,” “IFNγ signaling pathway,” and “immune responses” as the top 3 most significant terms for monocytes. Gene expression analysis of lymph node biopsies from sporadic and H syndrome-associated RDD suggests common underlying pathological process. In conclusion, monocytes and macrophages from both HS patients showed transcriptomic profiles similar to SAIDs and also uniquely upregulated IFNγ signature. These findings may help find better therapeutic options for this rare disorder.
Highly Efficient Adsorption of Cd(II) onto Carboxylated Camelthorn Biomass: Applicability of Three-Parameter Isotherm Models, Kinetics, and Mechanism
Authors: Hashem A. , Taha G. M. , Fletcher A. J. , Mohamed L. A. , Samaha S. H.
Published: December 2020

A series of malonic acid treated camelthorn (MATC) sorbents were produced via the reaction of camelthorn biomass with malonic acid, and factors affecting the extent of modification were investigated, including malonic acid concentration, dehydration time and temperature. The optimum sorbent, by carboxylic acid content, was subsequently characterised for surface charge behaviour (pHPZC), surface chemical functionalities (FTIR), morphological structure (SEM), and available surface area. The sorbent was subsequently utilised for adsorption of Cd(II) ions from aqueous media, and parameters influencing adsorption at 30 °C, such as sorbent dose, initial solution pH, exposure time, metal concentration, were investigated. Isothermal analyses were performed using eight models, including two and three parameter equations, with appropriateness of fit assessed via non-linear regression analysis. The adsorption data indicated that the Langmuir model gives the most appropriate fit to experimental curves, with the models ordered as Langmuir > Hill > Toth > Sips > Jossens > Khan > Redlich-Peterson > Freundlich. The highest uptake (qmax) of 582.6 mg g−1was determined at pH 6. The Freundlich constants, KFand n, at 30 °C were found to be 24.94 mg g−1and 2.33, respectively. The value of n (2.33), being in the range 0–10, indicates that adsorption of Cd(II) ions onto malonic acid treated camelthorn biomass is favourable. Evaluation of a series of kinetic models, allowed elucidation of the adsorption mechanism, as a pseudo-second order model gave the most appropriate fit, indicating that chemisorption processes are involved. Cd(II) ions adsorption onto MATC is enhanced by a higher level of active surface sites but was show to be independent of surface area. The work presented here indicates that this sorbent offers effective adsorption potential for Cd(II) ions from water, with potential in wastewater processing.
In Defence of a Reciprocal Turing Test
Authors: Mallory Fintan
Published: December 2020

The traditional Turing test appeals to an interrogator's judgement to determine whether or not their interlocutor is an intelligent agent. This paper argues that this kind of asymmetric experimental set-up is inappropriate for tracking a property such as intelligence because intelligence is grounded in part by symmetric relations of recognition between agents. In place, it proposes a reciprocal test which takes into account the judgments of both interrogators and competitors to determine if an agent is intelligent. This form of social interaction better tracks both the evolution of natural intelligence and how the concept of intelligence is actually used within our society. This new test is defended against the criticisms that a proof of intelligence requires a demonstration of self-consciousness and that semantic externalism entails that a non-embodied Turing test is inadequate.
Combined hazard of typhoon-generated meteorological tsunamis and storm surges along the coast of Japan
Authors: Heidarzadeh Mohammad , Rabinovich Alexander B.
Published: December 2020

Two hazardous typhoons, Lionrock (August 2016) and Jebi (September 2018), destructively affected the coast of Japan and produced extreme sea level variations. The results of field surveys in the impacted regions showed that multiple deaths and extensive floods were caused by the combined effect of low-frequency sea level raise (storm surges) and intensive high-frequency (HF) tsunami-like waves (meteotsunamis). The data from ten tide gauges for the 2016 event and eight gauges for the 2018 event were used to examine the properties of the observed sea levels, to estimate the relative contribution of the two sea level components and to evaluate their statistical characteristics (maximum wave heights, amplitudes and periods of individual components, etc.). For the 2016 event, we found that the surge heights were from 12 to 35 cm and that the mean contribution of surges into the total observed sea level heights was ~ 39%; the meteotsunami amplitudes were from 22 to 92 cm, and they contributed 61% of the total height. For the 2018 event, storm surges were significantly stronger, from 46 to 170 cm, while HF amplitudes were from 38 to 130 cm; their relative inputs were 67% and 33%, respectively. Combined, they formed total flood heights of up to 120 cm (2016 event) and 288 cm (2018 event). Previously, the contribution of storm seiches (meteotsunamis) in coastal floods had been underestimated, but results of the present study demonstrate that they can play the principal role. What is even more important, they produce devastating currents: according to our estimates, current speeds were up to 3 knots (1.5 m/s) during the Lionrock event and more than 5 knots (2.6 m/s) during Jebi; these strong currents appear to be the main reason for the resulting damage of coastal infrastructure. The most important characteristic of the recorded meteotsunamis is their trough-to-crest maximum height. During the 2016 event, these heights at three stations were > 1 m: 171 cm at Erimo, 109 cm at Hachijojima and 102 cm at Ayukawa. The 2018 event was stronger; maximum meteotsunami wave heights were 257 cm at Gobo, 138 cm at Kushimoto, 137 cm at Kumano and 128 cm at Murotomisaki. The 2018 Gobo height of 257 cm is much larger than historical non-seismic seiche maxima for the Pacific coast of Japan (140–169 cm) estimated by Nakano and Unoki (1962) for the period of 1930–1956.
The effects of nonlinear damping on degenerate parametric amplification
Authors: Li Donghao , Shaw Steven W.
Published: December 2020

This paper considers the dynamic response of a single degree of freedom system with nonlinear stiffness and nonlinear damping that is subjected to both resonant direct excitation and resonant parametric excitation, with a general phase between the two. This generalizes and expands on previous studies of nonlinear effects on parametric amplification, notably by including the effects of nonlinear damping, which is commonly observed in a large variety of systems, including micro- and nano-scale resonators. Using the method of averaging, a thorough parameter study is carried out that describes the effects of the amplitudes and relative phase of the two forms of excitation. The effects of nonlinear damping on the parametric gain are first derived. The transitions among various topological forms of the frequency response curves, which can include isolae, dual peaks, and loops, are determined, and bifurcation analyses in parameter spaces of interest are carried out. In general, these results provide a complete picture of the system response and allow one to select drive conditions of interest that avoid bistability while providing maximum amplitude gain, maximum phase sensitivity, or a flat resonant peak, in systems with nonlinear damping.
Bank regulation and systemic risk: cross country evidence
Authors: Chen Lei , Li Hui , Liu Frank Hong , Zhou Yue
Published: December 2020

Using data for banks from 65 countries for the period 2001–2013, we investigate the impact of bank regulation and supervision on individual banks’ systemic risk. Our cross-country empirical findings show that bank activity restriction, initial capital stringency and prompt corrective action are all positively related to systemic risk, measured by Marginal Expected Shortfall. We use the staggered timing of the implementation of Basel II regulation across countries as an exogenous event and use latitude for instrumental variable analysis to alleviate the endogeneity concern. Our results also hold for various robustness tests. We further find that the level of equity banks can alleviate such effect, while bank size is likely to enhance the effect, supporting our conjecture that the impact of bank regulation and supervision on systemic risk is through bank’s capital shortfall. Our results do not argue against bank regulation, but rather focus on the design and implementation of regulation.